A manager for all
by Anwedragon
Summary: Kuu has sent Kyoko a manager to help her deal with recent problems and difficult fans.Ren/Kyoko and Yashiro
1. Chapter 1

Hello, this is my first fanfiction. Please let me know what you think. Thank you.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat.

"Mogami-san, Please report to the President's office," buzzed the intercom in the LME main office. The Love Me sections number one member looked up from the box of paperwork she had been filing and sighed. She didn't know what that eccentric man wanted this time, but there had been many visits with him recently.

As she made her way through the halls, she fumed about the most recent problems she was dealing with. How her name has become associated with Fuwa Sho was still unknown, but the rumors running around were really starting to be a problem. Even with the statements made by both LME and Sho, the harassing fans had increased recently. Kyoko was starting to fear for her safety. Just yesterday she was on the receiving end of a rather smelly egg. Thankfully she was not hurt, but it did ruin her school uniform shirt.

When Kyoko arrived at the door to Takarada Lory office, she paused a moment to prepare herself for the wonder waited inside. She knocked and the double doors swung open to reveal a forest. The ground was covered in what could only be moss, pine needles, and ferns. How they could he have gotten all of this in here in one day? Yesterday the office has been a sheik's tent complete with women in belly dancing outfits. Today the main character appeared to be Robin Hood. Takarada stood there in green tights and tunic with a bow and arrow shooting targets. He turned and greeted the awed teenager.

"So good of you to join us Kyoko-chan. Come in and have a seat," call the lively man as he pointed to what looked to be fallen logs. On one of the logs sat a woman. Kyoko studied her as she walked over. She was obviously a foreign woman from the long blond hair and set of her eyes. She was dressed in a royal blue two piece business suit and dark leather heels. She looked at easy sitting in the forest, like it was nothing. The woman smiled warmly and rose to greet Kyouko as she approached.

"I would like to you meet Miss Catherine Saunders. She has been sent here to help out with your problem," Lory introduced the woman while she shook Kyoko's hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Kyouko. Kuu Hizuri has told me much about you," Catherine turned and sat back down on her log. Kyouko was speechless. Why had her Otousan spoken with a stranger about her? She sat on one of the other logs, finding it surprisingly soft. Lory perched himself on the only log left unoccupied. "Kuu has asked me to come and be your manager for a while," Catherine continued.

"Um… I don't nee…." Kyoko started to reject the offer, but stopped when Catherine put up her hand.

"My services have already been engaged with Kuu Hizuri and I WILL be your manager if you like it or not," Catherine stated sternly. "I have been informed by Takarada-san about the threating letters, the rumors, and the most recent attack on your person. Yes a rotten egg is not too bad, but it could have been much worse." Concern flooded the woman's smokey blue eyes and her look softened. "I would hate to see someone so dear to Kuu get hurt because of pride." Kyoko blushed at the mention of someone holding here dear. "Anyway," She continued, "I have other skills then just those of a manage. I have worked with several troubled starlets that needed protection." She smiled at Kyoko as the real reason the woman was here sunk in.

Kyoko's eyes widened with understanding. Kuu has sent her a body guard! "I could never ask you to do that!" Kyoko cried, "That would be too dangerous for you. You might get hurt!" Catherine laughed at the girl's reaction. She waved off the girl's concern.

"That is what I do. It's my job to make sure you are safe. Unless you want to tell Hizuri-san that you don't want my help? I am sure he'll be happy to make the trip over here to protect you himself." Catherine returned. Kyoko blanched at the idea of her Otousan neglecting his work and Julie to see to here wellbeing. Kyoko stood up quickly and bowed to her new manager and body guard.

"Thank you for your help. Please take good care of me," she said as Catherine stood up and bowed to her.

"I look forward to our time together. Please take care of me too" Catherine stood facing the young talent. She smiled at her new charge.

"Alright!" Lory piped in startling the two ladies back to their surroundings. "Kyoko, from this point on, you are to have someone with you at all times. That is what Miss Saunders is here for." He gestured to the women who nodded in agreement. "You are not to go outside without a protector." Lory hands her a sheet of paper with a list of names and numbers on it. "If, for some reason, Miss Saunders can't be with you, these are the people you can call to come get you. Do you understand?" Kyoko looked over the short list of names and nodded. She was surprised that Tsuruga Ren's name topped the list. "Ok, go on back to your duties and I will send her down in a little bit." Kyoko turned and left.

Lory looked over at Catherine. "So what do you think of our number 1 LoveMe member?" he asked in English.

"She seems to be a very sweet girl," Catherine responded in kind. "But what is with that outfit? I almost fell off the log when she walked in." She looked back to the door where the shockingly pink coveralls had vanished a few moments before. "I feel sorry for her." Lory frowned at the comment, the look on his face made Catherine laugh. "Please don't tell me that since I have joined the LoveMe section I get one of those dreadful things?" This time Lory grinned ear to ear making Catherine cover her face, moan, and shake her head. "If only Kuu had not asked me to help."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone that has helped me with the first chapter, your insight is appreciated. Here is the next section for your approval.

Note: I don't own Skip Beat!

Kyoko just finished up the last of the papers she was filing when her new manager walked through the door. She still wore the nice business suit and dark heels, but it was covered over with a long black London Fog trench coat. Kyoko found this odd since the days had become somewhat warm out. She also carried a small paper shopping bag. Kyoko stood and greeted her.

"Hello Saunders-san. I am done here so we can get ready to leave." Kyoko said formally to her.

"Please, call me Kat. I'm American and haven't been able to get use to the formal use of last names here." Catherine confessed to Kyoko. "I would like us to be friends." She held out the bag to Kyoko. "Here, this is for you. A gift from Kuu and Julie, they asked me to bring it to you." Kyoko took the bag and looked inside. She pulled out a velvet box and opened it, and gasped as she pulled out a gold charm bracelet with movie themed charms attached. There was space for more charms along the delicate chain. "They said it was to congratulate you on your first manager." Catherine looked down and blushed a little knowing they referred to her. Kyoko jumped up and hugged the manager in her joy. Catherine hugged her back in surprise. Kyoko pulled away in horror as she realized what she had just done. Catherine released the girl as she started to apologize for her outburst.

"Please, there is no need for that," Catherine pulled the girl to her feet and turned to walk out. "Come on, don't you have another job tonight?"

"Oh yes!" Kyoko grab she stuff and headed out behind her new manager. She still had to go play Bo. "I have to go change first." She led Catherine to the LoveMe Section locker room just in time to meet up with Kotonami Kanae. "MOKO-SAN!" Kyoko screeched and leapt at the young talent as soon as she was inside. Catherine stopped just inside the door not wanting to interrupt the two young girls' moment. Kanae avoided her with practiced movements and Kyoko landed on the couch instead. "Moko-san! Why did you avoid me?" Kyoko whined.

"Kyoko-chan, you can't do those things in public. What would people say!" Kanae fussed at her. "Who is your friend?" She turned to look suspiciously at the tall foreign women that had followed her best friend into the room. Kyoko realized that Catherine was standing in the doorway smiling at them. She has forgotten about her in her excitement for Kanae.

"I would like for you to meet my new manager, Miss Catherine Saunders." Kyoko introduced her. Catherine stepped fully into the room and extended her hand to the young talent. "Kat-san this is my best friend Kotonami Kanae." Kanae took the women's hand and sized her up.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Kotonami-san." Catherine said as Kanae shook and released her hand. Catherine bowed to the girl. "Please forgive my intrusion," she exclaimed in true Japanese fashion. Kanae was impressed that the foreign woman would use the local custom well.

"The pleasure is mine," Kanae responded with a return bow. "So, you are Kyoko's new manager?" Kanae asked in disbelief, the jealousy just barely covered in her voice. How could her friend be so much higher that she needed a dedicated manager? Catherine saw the emotion in her eyes before she could recover completely.

"It is true. I am Kyoko's new manager, her body guard, and newest member of the LoveMe section." Catherine smiled as she walked over and opened a locker to reveal another LoveMe jumpsuit and stamp set. "I am to accompany Kyoko in everything." The woman sighed as the two girls took in the horror of what she said. They both looked at her with softened eyes as she shut her torture back into the locker. She turned back to Kyoko and looked at her watch. "Sorry to cut this short, but we really need to be going if we are to make it to your next job in time." Kyoko looked at the clock and eeked. She changed her clothing, grabbed her things, and stammered a goodbye to Kanae. Catherine turned to bow to the older girl and left quietly. Kanae was impressed with the calm way the new manager held herself with everything she was being put through. She was also happy to know that Kyoko would have the protection she needed.

Catherine and Kyoko chatted as they walked to the TV studio for the filming of Totally Wild Rock. Before they reached their destination, Kyoko turned to the taller woman and pleaded with her not to tell anyone about what the job was. Catherine agreed with her, worried that the director may be doing something slightly illegal with the young girl. She followed Kyoko into the prop room where she saw the costume set out for her arrival. Reassured by the oversized chicken Kyoko was struggling into, Catherine excused herself to find some refreshments. She was sure Kyoko would need water inside that hot suit.

Catherine found her way to the green room where Bridge Rock was waiting for everything to begin. The Ishibashis brothers turned and looked at the unknown lady when she walked into the room. She stopped at the sight of the three young men and looked around.

"Can I help you find something?" Hikaru asked as she paused in her search. "You seem to be lost."

"No. I am just looking for some water for a talent working tonight," Catherine responded to the young man. He picked up a bottle and delivered it to her.

"And whose manager are you? There should have been water in the guest's dressing rooms." Hikaru asked. He was going to have to say something to the staff about this over sight. They were usually very good.

"Oh, I am not here with one of the guests," She smiled at the young man. "I am here with one of the main characters. Thank you." She bowed, turned, and walked out of the room. The three brothers looked at each other, curiosity burning inside them.

Catherine returned to Kyoko and watched from just off stage during the rest of the filming. Once Kyoko returned to the prop room, Catherine helped her out of the costume. Just a hint of a smile showed on Catherine's face as the young girl shed per chicken persona.

"I can see why you wouldn't want anyone to know you played a chicken on TV." Catherine commented to her as Kyoko finished packing the costume for return to wardrobe. Kyoko blushed furiously.

"No there are other reasons I don't want this information getting out." The young actress proclaimed. "There are two people that would be very mad at me it they ever found out!"

"Your secret is safe with me," Catherine reassured her. This was turning out to be a very interesting assignment, nothing like that last brat she had taken care of. As far as she could tell, Kyoko was a very kind and loving young lady. Why had Lory placed her in a section as embarrassing as LoveMe?

"You did a really great job out there, and your costars are really nice young men." Catherine remarked as she handed the water to Kyoko.

"They are very good to me," Kyoko told her as she finished the entire bottle. That suit was really hot. "They are always doing nice things for me." Catherine had watched the way the boys took care of her during the filming. It was obvious to her that the shortest one really liked her. Catherine and Kyoko were joined by the brothers as they came out to take Bo back. The boys stared at the stranger walking with Kyoko.

"Oh hey guys, let me introduce to you my new manager Miss Catherine Saunders. LME has just assigned her to me," Kyoko introduced here to Bridge Rock. The boys greeted her properly this time. "Hizuri Kuu-san asked her to come from America to keep me safe." Kyoko continued as just a hint of red bloomed on her cheeks. Yusei and Shinchi looked at each other skeptically. They had been worried about the rumors that had been circling about the young starlet. How could this delicate looking foreign woman help Kyoko with the trials before her? Why had such a major star sent someone to help Kyoko? There were just too many questions to ask so they let them go for now. Catherine gave off an air of mystery that the boys were apprehensive to investigate. They would ask Kyoko about it when the woman in question was not listening.

"It was a pleasure to meet you all. I look forward to working with you in the future." Catherine bid farewell to the young stars after they delivered Bo to the costume department. She wondered if Kyoko would be bombarded with questions the next time she saw the young men.

That night Catherine escorted Kyoko home and left here at the door of The Darumaya. She told Kyoko that she would be here to pick her up tomorrow morning. As Catherine left, Kyoko could not help but wonder what type of woman her Otousan had sent to her. She had not shared much about herself that day, leaving the young actress worried about how this lady was going to protect her. Kyoko went in and went to bed thinking about what was to come the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello. Here is the next chapter for your approval. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement and interest in my story.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

The next morning, Catherine was good to her word and showed up early to pick up Kyoko for work. She came inside and met the Taishou of the Darumaya as he was preparing for the morning rush.

"Good day," she greeted the man with warm smile and a slight bow. "I'm here to pick up Kyoko for work. I am her new manager." Catherine informed the stoic man. He stopped cutting beef in cubes long enough to look over the slender woman standing in his restaurant. He gave a curt nod in greeting and returned to his work.

The lady stood loose taking in her surroundings. She liked the friendly atmosphere the little restaurant had, especially the silent man wielding the large knife behind the counter. She was sure her charge was safe in this place and that made her feel better. She would remember to call Hizuri-san later and tell him that she approved of Kyoko's living arrangements. About that time, Kyoko came down the steps and out from the family area.

"Good morning Kat-chan." Kyoko greeted the lady standing in the dining room. "Have you had breakfast?"

"No I have yet to eat. I was planning to pick up breakfast when we got to LME." Catherine responded looking a little sheepish. She was really planning on skipping breakfast like she usually does. Eating in the morning had a tendency to made her stomach upset.

"I have not eaten yet. Would you like to join me for something?" Kyoko offered as she turned towards the kitchen area. "The Taishou makes wonderful food here."

"I would be honored to join you for breakfast." Catherine accepted the kind offer and followed Kyoko into the kitchen. Kyoko set a bowl of miso soup, fish, and rice down for Catherine to eat. She made the same for herself and sat down to eat. Catherine looked at the chop sticks like she was not sure what to do with them and examined Kyoko for a few moment. After a few bites, Kyoko stopped eating; she noticed that Catherine had not started yet.

"Is everything ok?" Kyoko asked with concern. Maybe there was something wrong with the food, or she couldn't eat something offered. Catherine looked up from the dishes and smiled warmly.

"Everything is just fine. This is just the first Japanese breakfast I have had and was enjoying the experience." Catherine admitted and then picked up the chop sticks and followed Kyoko's lead on the fish. Kyoko stared at her in surprise. She knew that Catherine was American, but she spoke excellent Japanese so she could not see how the woman had never eaten this before. Catherine continued savoring every bite until Kyoko went back to eating. At the end of the meal, Kyoko cleared the dishes away and went to get her things. Catherine stood and turned to the silent man who had watched the two women eating. He has heard the comment Catherine had made and was waiting patiently to hear how she liked the food. Catherine stood in front of the man and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for the food. It was wonderful." She stood and walked over to the door to where Kyoko was waiting. If one looked, you could see pride glowing in the man's eyes at pleasing the foreign women. He was sure Kyoko was in good hands.

They left together and got into a car that was parked on the street. Kyoko recognized it as a LME car.

"You can drive?" she asked Catherine. She was surprised the woman was able to drive in Tokyo. It was supposed to be one of the hardest cities to drive in and her manager had not been in Japan for long. Catherine laughed lightly at the girl.

"I learned to drive in much worse conditions then here." Images of traffic jams in L.A. flashed through her mind before Catherine continued. "I have an international license for the time being, but I will need to get a permanent Japanese license before I can drive on a regular basis. I will also need to get a car of my own. This one belongs to LME." Catherine buckled her seat belt and steadied her nerves for the foreign traffic patterns. She had gone out for a few long trips in the countryside when she first arrived in Japan to familiarize herself the setup of the foreign car, but she was still not completely use to the steering wheel on the wrong side. Kyoko was quiet as Catherine maneuvered the car into traffic. She knew how Ren liked to concentrate when he was behind the wheel and figured Catherine would like that too. They drove in a comfortable silence all the way to LME.

When they arrived at LME, Catherine joined Kyoko in her LoveMe work, complete with shockingly pink jumpsuit and stamp book. Not once did the older woman complain about the color or the odd looks she was given. In fact they seemed to roll right off her. As the day went on they talked and slowly got to know each other better. Kanea was filming her drama and did not come in to LME that day, and Ren was out of town on a photo shoot that would take a few days. Overall, it was an uneventful day filled with gofer work and cleaning. After the work was finished Catherine dropped Kyoko back off at the Darumaya.

This was the same routine that the two followed for the next week. Catherine would pick her up dressed for business, see her safely to where she needed to be, and then return her back to her home in the evening. The monotony of their routine was only broken when Lory would drop by in one of his cosplay outfits to check on his favorite LoveMe member and her new manager.


	4. Chapter 4

Here is the next chapter for your approval. Don't worry; there is romance in this story… I just have to get to it. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

It was the following week when things livened up. Another rumor had sprung up about Sho and Kyoko. This one built on the previous rumor of an engagement between the stars with the idea that Kyoko was only using the innocent rocker to increase her fame. How these things were started was beyond comprehension. The rumor was followed by a large influx of threating letters to Kyoko from Sho's fan base. There were some crazy girls out there. The Akatoki Agency and LME both issued statements about the rumors to try to stop them, but crazy fans had a tendency to not listen to official statements. Both of the talent agencies were working to find out who had started the lies, but it was proving hard to track down.

Catherine picked up Kyoko as she usually did. After collecting the girl, they took the normal route to LME. By this time, Catherine was use to Tokyo's traffic and enjoyed conversing with Kyoko about plans for the day on their way to work. Today she saw the concern coloring the edges of the young actress' eyes.

"Don't worry about the new rumors. We both know they are not true." Catherine tried to reassure her. "Lory is working on finding out how these awful things have started." With this Kyoko's expression went dark as she thought about the source of all her troubles. If Sho would just control his fans, then she wouldn't be troubled by this. Catherine looked at the girl as the temperature in the car dropped several degrees. "Are you ok?" She asked.

"I am so sorry!" squeaked Kyoko suddenly remembered where she was. Catherine laughed at her quick change in mood and left the girl to reflect on her own thoughts. She pulled into the parking garage across the street from the LME building. As they walked out and started to cross the street, Catherine noticed a large crowd had gathered on the walkway in front of the building. She quickly took position close behind Kyoko. The girl did not notice the change in position or stature of her companion as they crossed the street and approached the crowd.

"There she is!" yelled a girl standing at the edge of the group. "She is the one spreading LIES about our precious Sho-kun." The crowd started to go wild as they approached. Kyoko paused as the crowd turned towards her.

"Just stick close and push through them," Catherine whispered into Kyoko's ear. She placed a hand on the other girls shoulder and propelled her into the group. With a protective hand and strong glare Catherine was able to ward off the girls that were out to defend their rocker's name. They had pressed through most of the girls and were almost at the end of the crowd where the security guards were holding the fans out of the building when thing got out of hand. As Catherine worked her way through the last of disgruntled girls, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, something coming fast straight at Kyoko's head. She shoved the actress out of the remaining masses into the building before twisting her arm up to stop the object that was endangering her charge. The flying brick hit her raised forearm and swung around to clock her in the temple. The concrete rushed up to accept the manager's falling form while the girls around her stumbled backward screaming in horror. The last thing that passed through Catherine's mind before her conscious slipped away was that she had not expected anything quite that heavy to be thrown by a group of girls.

Inside the building Tsuruga Ren and his manager, Yashiro Yukihito, were watching the commotion outside. Ren saw Kyoko being pushed through the throng of girls and was heading towards the door to help the woman protecting her. Then it happened, he watched in horror as a brick flew through the air straight towards the object of his affections. He picked up his pace and reached the door just as Kyoko was hurled through it and straight into his open arms. He was too occupied with the girl in his arms to see the brick hit the woman in the head or her go down among the girls on the sidewalk. Kyoko, protected by Ren's strong arms, turned to see what had happened to Catherine. Yashiro rushed passed the pair to scoop up the fallen woman to bring her inside.

"Kat-chan" Kyoko cried as Yashiro carried the unconscious woman inside. Blood was pouring out of a fresh cut on her left temple and soaking into the front of Yashiro's jacket. After laying her limp form on the floor carefully, he pressed the handkerchief from his pocket to the flowing wound, stanching the blood. Kyoko tore from Ren's grasp and rushed to the pair on the floor. As she knelt opposite Yashiro to check on Catherine, Ren pulled out his phone and call an ambulance to take the woman to the hospital.

"Who is this?" Yashiro asked to the worried face across from him. Kyoko pulled her eyes away from the unconscious woman to Ren's manager's eyes.

"This is my new manager Miss Catherine Saunders. She was sent to protect me by Hizuri Kuu-san." Kyoko responded. Ren jerked to look at the slack face of the American woman, shock clearly showing on his face for anyone to see. He quickly caught his expression and put his mask back on. "She told me that it was her job to protect me, but I never thought that she would get hurt." Tears welled up in Kyoko's eyes. Ren went to her and pulled her from the floor into an embrace trying to comfort the upset girl.

"Shh.. shh… She will be ok. There is an ambulance on the way," Ren comforted her as he stared at the familiar face from his past. How was he going to deal with this new development in his life? He was going to need to talk to the President as soon as possible. This could be very bad. About that time, the medics swarmed the lobby. The crowd outside had scattered when the Catherine went down so there were no obstacles for them. Kyoko started to pull away from Ren as they were stabilizing Catherine's head and loading her on the back board to take to the hospital. She was going to go with her manager, but Ren grabbed her by the shoulder stopping her.

"Yashiro-san, could you please go with her to the hospital to make sure she is ok?" Ren asked this manager. "I'm sure it would make Kyoko feel better with news as soon as possible." Yashiro looked at Ren and then to Kyoko. Seeing the worried face of the young girl was more than enough to convince him to do as asked.

"I will call you as soon as I know anything." Yashiro said as he followed the medics out the front door.

"But, I need to go with her!" Kyoko started to protest until she saw the stern look on Ren's face.

"She worked hard to get you here safely. You have a job to do and there is nothing that you can do for her at the moment. Yashiro-san will let us know as soon as there is any news." Ren spoke firmly but gently to the distraught girl. "Right now we need to go to the President's office and let him know. He may be able to tell us what happened." Kyoko gave in as Ren propelled her by the shoulder towards the elevator that would take them away from the lobby.

Yashiro picked himself up and followed the medic to the ambulance. When the medic saw the blood staining the man's chest, he offered to check him over for wounds also. Yashiro waved him off and took a seat next to the gurney. He stared at the unconscious woman as they started off to the hospital. He knew how dangerous a manager's job could be, but he hated to see anyone hurt by fans. He started to get mad at Fuwa for the injury to the woman's head. That looked like it could leave possibly leave a scare.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello. Thank you all for your continuing interest in my story. Here is the next chapter for your enjoyment. Please let me know if there is anything that needs correcting. Thank you.

**Not: I do not own Skip Beat!**

News of the accident had already reached Lory when his favorite couple knocked on his office door. Sebastian showed them into a relatively ordinary office. The man himself was dressed in a black on black FBI like suit and gave off the air of an investigator as he busied himself with a tape of the event. Kyoko watched as Catherine hurried her through the mass of girls. She gasped as she saw Catherine register the flying object, shove the younger girl forwards out of harm's way, and turn to block and take the brick's impact. It was hard to tell exactly which of the young women had chucked the object, there were just too many in the group dressed the same. The group scattered screaming when the women went down. Yashiro could be seen gathering up the manager's unconscious form and running back inside. Kyoko slumped into a chair and began crying. It was her fault her friend was injured. Ren took a place beside her and tried to comfort the distraught girl with a warm hand on her shoulder. It broke his heart to see her in such misery.

"Kyoko, this is why Kat-chan was sent to help you. To keep you safe from things like this," Lory told the girl sternly. "If she knew you were crying because she did her job, she would be unhappy." Kyoko looked up at the man contemplating his logic. She stopped crying but could not feel any better about Catherine's injury.

"But if I did not need protections, she would not have gotten hurt!" Kyoko shot back her own logic. Ren let his hand drop away from her shoulder as Kyoko righted herself to argue with Lory.

"This is true, but she would still be doing this job for someone else. I would much rather her work with you then someone that actually caused a problem." Lory retorted. "At least you appreciate her work." Kyoko looked at the strange man in confusion. Did Catherine do this type of thing all the time? Her thoughts were interrupted when the phone on Lory's desk rang loudly.

"Hello" Lory picked the receiver up and spoke into it. "Wait, Let me put you on speaker phone, Ren and Kyoko are here too." Lory pushed a button on the phone before returning the handset to the cradle. Sound could be heard buzzing from the speaker. "Ok, go ahead."

"As I was saying," Yashiro's voice crackled across the line, "She has not woken up yet so the hospital is admitting her, but I need her information so that they can process her paperwork. She does not have a wallet with her." Kyoko gasped remembering the shoulder bag Catherine had been carrying when they got out of the car. Lory turned to retrieve the missing bag from behind his desk.

"One of the guards brought her bag up a few minutes ago. Hold on. "Lory called to the phone as he dug through the mentioned bag. "Here it is! Can you give me the phone number to the hospital and I will have the information faxed there right away?" Yashiro did and Lory handed the information and the number to Sebastian to take care of. "Please let us know as soon as you have any information."

"Alright," Yashiro agreed. It meant that Ren would be taking himself to work, but the first filming was a joint job with Kyoko so it would be ok. On that note, Yashiro disconnected the phone and went back to the room containing Kyoko's injured manager and sat down. He looked down his front at the blood that had started to dry there. He leaned forwards to the woman and jokingly said, "You just ruined my favorite suit." Catherine moaned lightly at the sound of his voice, but did not wake up.

Back in Lory's office, Kyoko was depressed to hear that Catherine was still not awake, but she knew that she needed to get on with the day. This was what Catherine would have demanded. Ren sent her to get ready in the LoveMe locker room and then turned on Lory as soon as the door was closed.

"When the HELL were you going to tell me that Kyoko got a new manager and that it was HER? She knows who I am!" yelled Ren. Panic had started to rise in him.

"Calm down." Lory soothed the stricken actor. "She was sent by Kuu and knows the situation here. She will not give you away."

"Why her? Of all the people he could have picked, why her?" Ren plopped himself down in the chair unceremoniously. He dropped his head into his hands. He was visible upset by this surprise. "I have not seen her in a long time. It was shocking to discover this development while she was bleeding in front of me."

"Kuu wanted the best to protect Kyoko, she is the best, as you should already know," Lory leaned his back against the desk with his arms crossed at his chest. "She has performed very well today. You should be proud of her." Ren knew he was right. The decision to make Catherine Kyoko's protector was the best thing his father could have done. Not just anyone would have seen the object fly towards them from that angle. Let alone protect her and stop the brick from falling into the crowd around them. Ren was not happy about the outcome, but he understood the reasons behind it. Ren sighed deeply, stood up, and put himself back together.

"I understand," Ren informed Lory. "I have to go get Kyoko for the filming. Please let me know as soon as you hear something from Yashiro." Lory agreed and Ren left to get on with the day.

The filming went smoothly after Ren chastised Kyoko for her work ethic. Since there was nothing she could do, she needed to focus more on her work. After only a few retakes, the end of the day came and Ren agreed to drive a very anxious Kyoko to the hospital to see how Catherine was doing. They called ahead and Yashiro met them upon their arrival. Kyoko was surprised to see the usually crisply dressed bespectacled man in a t-shirt.

"She has not woken up yet." He explained to the couple as they walked in. "The doctor thinks she has a concussion and there is a large bruise on her arm. They won't know more until she wakes up." Yashiro lead the actors through the hospital into her room. Kyoko saw Yashiro's jacket folded up on a chair, the blood spot obvious on the lighter material. He has also taken off his dress shirt and rinsed the much smaller spots out of it. That could be seen hanging in the little alcove where what was left of Catherine's ruined clothing had been placed in a bag. The woman herself was lying on the bed in a dressing gown with an IV coming out of her arm. The nurses had cut her out of her bloody clothing when she came into the emergency room. Kyoko chastised herself for not bringing her friend something decent to wear while in the hospital. She would definitely remember it for tomorrow. Kyoko was unable to see the injury under the large bandage covering most of the left side of her face.

Kyoko walked over to the chair positioned by Catherine's bedside. She looked at Yashiro for permission to sit down. He had been occupying the mentioned chair since Catherine was sent to this room. After a nod from the man in question, Kyoko sat down and took Catherine's hand. There was no response from the patient. Ren stood against the wall near the foot of the bed and watch the pair. He wasn't sure how he felt about this development so he worked for a concerned yet distance expression. Yashiro noticed that Ren was uncomfortable but could not figure out why.

"Catherine-san, can you hear me?" Kyoko asked her softly while rubbing small circles on the back of her hand with her thumb. She had always heard that a familiar voice was good for an unconscious person. "I am so sorry that you got hurt. It's all my fault" The girl sobbed and she dropped her head onto the bedside to cry in earnest. Ren started towards the distraught girl when he noticed movement from the bed. Catherine raised the opposite hand and placed it on the girl's head. Kyoko looked up to see a weak smile creep across Catherine's face.

"That's enough of that," Catherine patted the top of Kyoko's head. Kyoko jumped up and threw herself onto the injured woman. Ren and Yashiro were shocked at Kyoko's ability to be so physically close to the woman that she had known for such a short time.

"I am SO SORRY!" Kyoko cried as she tried to bow while holding onto Catherine. "I was so scared when I saw the blood. I can't believe someone would do that. How…"

"Kyoko!" Catherine gasped in pain, interrupting the girl's rant. "Could you please stand up?" Kyoko was practically lying on top of the wounded woman. She had pinned her hurt arm between them in her haste. Kyoko dropped in horror to the floor in a dogeze bow stammering apologies all the way down. Catherine looked to the two men in the room for help with the girl. Ren reached down and pulled Kyoko to her feet.

"Mogami-san, Saunders-san asked you to stand up. Please get up where she can see you," Ren whispered into her ear. Kyoko let the tall man lift her too her feet and looked down sheepishly. "That's better." Ren released her arm and stepped back so Kyoko could stand on her own.

"I am sorry Kat-chan," Kyoko apologized again. Catherine laughed and shook her head at Kyoko's misplaced guilt. She immediately regretted it as the movement made her head pound and swirled up a bout of nausea. Yashiro saw the woman's plight and hit the call button for the nurse. In just a moment the nurse bustled through the door and pushed the visitors to the other side of the room. She checked Catherine and called the doctor. The nurse wrote something on Catherine's chart and handed it to the doctor as soon as he walked into the room. He looked at it and then examined Catherine. He turned to the three onlookers and cleared his throat.

"Who is taking responsibility for this patient?" the doctor asked the group.

"She's my manager," Kyoko responded to the question. "She doesn't have any family here in Japan." The doctor turned to look at Catherine. She nodded gently letting the doctor know that it as ok to tell them. The doctor turned back to the young girl in front of him.

"Your manager is suffering from a concussion," the doctor informed them, "She has also had several stiches in the side of her face. She will need to stay here for observation for the next day or so. Once she is released, she is not to be left alone for the a few days. She will need to come back in 7 days to have the stitches removed."

"Will she have a scar?" Kyoko looked at Catherine with concern.

"We did the best we could with small stiches, but yes. She will most likely have a lasting scar from this." The doctor sighed. Kyoko's face clouded over in dismay. She knew how bad a scar could be in this industry. The doctor continued before the young girl could break down. "With the proper treatment, the scar should not be too noticeable when fully healed." The doctor went back to Catherine's bed. "Do you understand what I have said?" He looked at his patient.

"Yes," Catherine breathed softly. She was still a little nauseous. The doctor turned to the nurse, ordered medication, gave instructions for her to be woken up every 15 minutes, and then left. Kyoko came over and sat in the chair again. Yashiro and Ren looked on with worry in their eyes. They knew that Kyoko was blaming herself for this accident. Catherine turned her head and looked at the girl sternly.

"You are not responsible for this!" She told the young girl. Kyoko was shocked by the harshness of the gentle woman's voice. Ren smiled just a bit because he knew what was coming. Catherine continued reprimanding the guilt ridden girl, "YOU will not apologize to me again for this! It would be an insult to me. This is what I was hired to do and Kuu would have me skinned alive if I had let anything happen to you. I am not in 'Show business' so one little scar is not going to change my job description." Kyoko's grudges were coming out to bask in the anger that was swimming off the, until now, peaceful manager. Kyoko cringed as she humbly received the tongue lashing she felt sure she deserved. Catherine softened her voice. "Now Kyoko, please do not let this upset you anymore. In a few days I will be fine." She smiled warmly at her charge. Kyoko smiled back, she felt better after being put in her place. Ren stood back in amazement at how well Catherine could handle the feisty girl. He was starting to believe that Kuu had made a good choice in her protector.

"Are you sure you will be ok?" Kyoko asked her again, concern filling her voice.

"Yes, I will be fine," Catherine reassured her one more time. "I think that I just need to get a little rest." Catherine then leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and swallowed. That little show of strength had taken so much out of her. She knew that Kyoko needed it, but the posturing had not done her any good. Seeing that Catherine was in pain, Ren went over to Kyoko.

"Come on. It is late and she needs to rest." Ren looked at Yashiro and then to Catherine. "Saunders-san," Catherine opened her eyes and looked at the man standing over her. "I will take Mogami-san home tonight." Catherine nodded the barest head movement and closed her eyes again. "I will also make sure she gets to work safely tomorrow." Catherine raised her hand in response to this statement. The head nod had been too painful to repeat. At that moment the nurse came in with some injectable medication for Catherine. When she left, Kyoko squeezed Catherine's hand trying to comfort her; she had realized that the older woman was in pain.

"I will come back and see you tomorrow." Kyoko said, releasing her hand. Catherine opened her eyes and looked at her. She could tell that the pain medication was already taking affect from the far off look in the woman's eyes.

"I look forward to it." Catherine responded as she closed her eyes and let the medication kick in. The three visitors looked on helplessly as sleep took her pain away. Yashiro collected his clothing, returning the coat to its proper place and following Kyoko out of the room. Ren took up the rear and stopped long enough to take a glance and the sleeping woman. He was glade that she would be ok. This may not be as bad as he had first thought it was.


	6. Chapter 6

Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

The next morning Ren picked Kyoko up early and agreed to take her to the hospital before heading into work. When they walked into Catherine's room, they found she already had an early morning visitor. Takarada Lory sat next to her bed dressed in a mariachis costume peeling an apple for the woman. She lay in the bed in a matching outfit supplied by the eccentric man. The brightly colored dress was definitely Mexican in origin. They both looked towards the new arrivals.

"How are you feeling today?" Kyoko asked as she approached the pair in the room. Catherine looked much better today. She was alert and focused. It was a great improvement from last night. Someone had removed the large bandage from her face for favor of a much smaller one. Kyoko could see the bruise showing out from under its edge.

"Much better today," Catherine smiled. She beckoned them into the room further. Kyoko came to the bedside opposite were the president was busying himself with cutting up the fruit. Kyoko's eyes reached for the bandage and Catherine raised her hand to where the younger girl was looking. "It doesn't hurt as much today. The doctor said they may release me this evening if everything goes well." Catherine dropped her hand to her lap.

"That's good. I brought you some clothing," Kyoko looked to Ren who was carrying a paper bag. He sat it on the table next to the president. Lory poked into the bag to see what Kyoko had brought, but pulled out with a sigh. There was nothing nearly as flamboyant in there as the outfit she was already dresses in.

"Thanks you." Catherine replied. "That was very kind of you." Catherine avoided looking at the bag so as not to depress the man next to her anymore. She looked at the clock above their heads. "Don't you have work this morning? And where is your manager Tsuruga-san? I need to thank him for his hard work yesterday. Lory told me about what happened."

"He had some work to do at the office so I am going to meet him there this morning." Ren explained to her. Catherine lowered her head and shook it lightly. Catherine sighed at the thought of causing the busy man trouble. She could not even remember his name at the moment. She looked up at the tall actor.

"I am sorry for causing you both trouble yesterday." Catherine apologizes to Ren. She knew a manager was important to their actor.

"It's ok. I am just glade you weren't hurt seriously." Ren smiled warmly at the slightly depressed woman. Kyoko could see he did not hold Catherine responsible for his troubles. She was sure these two would get along in the future.

"I am sorry to cut your visit short," Lory piped in, "but don't you two have work you need to be getting to?" Kyoko blanched and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Please forgive us," She said as levitated from the chair. "I will stop in after I get out of work." She turned to head toward the door. Ren bowed to both Catherine and Lory.

"I will make sure she is safe today." Ren turned to follow his new charge out the door.

"Thank you." Catherine called after the retreating pair. She turned to Lory after watching the two leave. "He really does like her." Lory smiled and turned back to the bed.

"Yes. Now how do we get those two together?" Lory grinned evilly. Catherine's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"I think we need to get Tsuruga-san's manager in on this. Do you think he will be willing to help us out?" She inquired. Lory smiled broadly and nodded in agreement. They continued to schema long after the two targets left.

Ren walked Kyoko out to his car and opened the door for her. Once they were both settled, Ren proceeded to LME to drop her off and pick up Yashiro. He glanced at his companion. She was looking out the window with a gloomy expression.

"It's not your fault Mogami-san," Ren reassured her again. "She will be fine. The doctor said she would be getting out of the hospital today."

"I know. But that does not make me feel any better. If she had not been protecting me, she would not have gotten hurt." Kyoko retorted with a heavy sigh. The corner of Ren's mouth turned up with the barest hint of a smile. He did not know what to do with his companion. She would not feel better until she had done something to make up for Catherine injury. He suddenly had a wonderful idea.

"I have an idea." Ren gleamed at her. Kyoko looked at her senpai. "Why don't you cook dinner for her when she gets out of the hospital tonight? You can invite her to my apartment and use my kitchen." Kyoko face lit up. That was an excellent idea. She remembered Catherine saying that she had not eaten much Japanese cuisine. Then it hit her, Ren had offered his apartment for the dinner. She blanched at the idea of using her senpai in such a way.

"I could never impose on you like that," Kyoko stammered. "I will make arrangement to stop by her house." Ren's expression darkened a little and then he smiled his gentlemen's smile at her. Her grudges swirled up to bask in the anger that was drifting off him. 'He's mad!' Kyoko cringed 'Why is he mad this time!'

"Mogami-san, if it was an issue, I would not have offered my kitchen. I was also going to suggest that you invite Yashiro-san to thank him too. It would be impolite to invite someone else into her home." Ren breathed. Kyoko realized her error and blushed furiously. She started to apologize to the actor. Ren sighed and the anger slipped from him. At least she saw her error. Kyoko relaxed and grinned at the man driving the car, this was going to be fun

"That is a wonderful idea." Kyoko started planning the menu in her head. Ren was glad to see her pulled out of the funk she had settled into since the attack. He pulled into LME and parked the car. Between the news of yesterday's attack and heightened security keeping people moving; the two actors went into the building without incident. Yashiro was in his office working on the offers sent to Ren. Kyoko found him and invited him to dinner with Catherine at Ren's apartment. He gladly accepted. He was interested to find out more about the foreign woman from yesterday. Maybe he could recruit her to help get those two together


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you everyone for your continuing interest in my story. I present the next chapter for your pleasure. I hope you continue to enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

The rest of the day passed without remark. Kyoko was excited when she arrived via LME car at the hospital. Catherine was up and ready to go. She had changed out of the flamboyant dress the president had brought in favor of the more modest clothing Kyoko and Ren had arranged. How Ren had known what she would like was beyond Kyoko. He claimed that it was the mark of a good model to know style and left it at that. Kyoko had known her size from the time they spent together in the LoveMe locker room. So between the two, finding a nice outfit for her was easy.

"Just a few more things and the doctor should release me," Catherine said to Kyoko. Catherine sat back down on the bed and motioned her charge to sit in the chair. "So how was your day?" Kyoko sat down and started in to a long detailed account of everything that happened since she last saw her manager. Catherine smiled at the girl's tyrant about stupid people and the gum she had cleaned from the floor. This time she was not as gung-ho about shining the floor and it had gone better than the first time she had performed this task. There was a knock just as she was explaining what she wanted to do with people who chew gum. Both the girls looked up to see Ren and Yashiro standing with Catherine's release papers.

"The doctor said you're all ready to go," Ren held out the finished paper work for the lady's signature. "We just have to drop these off with the nurse as we leave." Catherine stood and took the papers from him. Yashiro noted that she looked a little pale, but was much better than the last time he saw her.

"Well, lets blow this popsicle stand," Catherine, using English, laughed as she signed the paperwork and headed out the door. Kyoko looked at the back of the retreating woman with a confused expression, she was not familiar with that phrase. Ren chuckled at the look on Kyoko's face. Kyoko's expression darkened when she heard her senpai's mirth and she hurried after her manager. Yashiro was also confused by the phrase Catherine had used, but had not wanted to announce that fact to Ren, seeing as the younger man knew what she said.

After Catherine was done with the nurse and finale instructions were given to her companions for her care, the group left to find Ren's car. After some haggling, they all finally got their places inside. Catherine insisted that she sit in the back behind Ren so she didn't have to turn her head to see everyone. Yashiro insisted that Kyoko sit in the front so she could give Ren directions where to stop to get groceries. Kyoko could not argue with either manager's logic so resigned herself to the seat next to Ren. He was happy with the seating arrangement and quickly set off to find food for the group.

"Umm. Where are we going?" Catherine asked to the car in general. She was sure Kyoko didn't know where she lived and they were also going in the opposite direction. Kyoko turned and smiled brightly at the confused woman.

"We are taking you to dinner." She beamed with joy. "I figured the hospital had not fed you properly and the nurse did say you were not to be left alone for a while." Yashiro grinned and wiggled in his seat like a fan girl at Kyoko's statement. He knew that Ren had pressured Kyoko into agreeing to stay with Catherine at his apartment so she could take care of the injured woman. He has informed her that it wouldn't be right to invade the manager's home without proper permission. Kyoko, unable to find holes in his logic, has reluctantly agreed that this was the best course of action. Catherine looked at the reaction of the older man sitting next to her. She did not understand how the prospect of food could elicit such a joy from him.

"That sounds wonderful. Where are we going to eat?" Catherine asked Kyoko as she ignored Yashiro's ear to ear grin.

"Well," Kyoko began sheepishly, "I'm going to cook for everyone, as an apology and thank you for everything that has happened." Catherine was still a little confused. The Darumaya was not this way either. How could Kyoko be cooking them dinner? A light came on inside Catherine as she understood what was going on. Where Kyoko and Ren dating? She turned to Yashiro for the answer to the unasked question. After meeting his eyes she glanced at Ren, then Kyoko, and back at Yashiro. He sighed deeply and lightly shook his head. 'No they are not together' was the answer she took away from the exchange. She now understood the older man's reaction.

"That sounds wonderful." Catherine was delighted to get an opportunity to get to know her coworkers better. She had a feeling she would be seeing much more of these two men.

When they reached the market, Ren took Kyoko inside to get the ingredients she needed. Yashiro and Catherine sat in the car. She was still not fully recovered and didn't feel up to walking around the store. Yashiro and Catherine chatted about general things; like where she was from, how long she had been in Japan, and how she liked LME. After the basic small talk with new people, she finally got down to the things that needed saying.

"Thank you for helping me yesterday at LME." Catherine bowed her head to her savior. "I didn't expect the crowd to be that violent." Lory had given her a full account of what had happened. She sighed as she thought about the blood stains Lory said she had left on his jacket. "I will be happy to replace your damaged coat." She looked at the man sitting next to her.

"You are very welcome." Yashiro smiled and waved off her offer. "There is no need for you to do that. It was an older coat anyway." He lied. He had only gotten that suit coat about three months ago. "I am glad to see LME has finally got Kyoko some protection. But, I am sorry that you got hurt doing it," he quickly added.

"Well, it is my job to make sure she doesn't get hurt… and if I have to put myself between her and what will hurt her, I will," Catherine shifted up onto her hand so she could see the bandage in the review mirror. She pushed her loose hair back with her free hand so she could see the entire bandage on her face. "It's not the first scar from work that I have received, and it more than likely will not be the last." She was suddenly overcome with a wave of dizziness and her supporting hand slipped from under her. Yashiro caught her as she fell and pulled her down to safety against his chest. His pulse quickened at the sudden closeness of the mysterious woman. They remained in that position for a few moments as she regained her senses. As she sat up, Yashiro saw Ren looking at them through the driver's side window. He smiled at them; now he had something to tease his manager about. Kyoko missed the entire exchange as she was placing the bags she had in the trunk of the car. Catherine had not noticed the audience due to her addled mind, but apologized to Yashiro as Ren and Kyoko got in. Kyoko looked at her confused by the apology.

"What happened?" Kyoko asked.

"I moved too fast and got dizzy," Catherine blushed, "Yashiro-san caught me before I could fall over." Settling back over on her side of the seat, she was surprised at herself. She could still feel the warmth from the man's arms around her from just that brief moment. She was usually not easily moved my chivalry. 'What has come over me today? I must be the head injury.' She reassured herself.

"Are you ok now?" Kyoko asked concerned.

"Yes. I am feeling better now." Catherine raised her hand to reassure Kyoko. "I just needed to rest for a moment." Ren looked at Yashiro in the mirror. Yashiro had turned to look out the window. He was not going to let the younger man tease him, even though he had teased Ren in the same manor previously. The corners of Ren's mouth turned up just a little at Yashiro's reaction. He could work with this.


	8. Chapter 8

Here is the next chapter for your enjoyment. Please let me know if you see any errors that need correcting. Thank you

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

It was only a few more minutes until they arrived at Ren's apartment. Ren helped Kyoko with the bags and left Yashiro to help Catherine if she needed it. Ren opened the door and ushered all of the guests into his living room. Kyoko took the food into the kitchen and set to making a wonderful meal. Yashiro settled Catherine on one end of the sofa and sat down on the other end. They sat in silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say to the other.

In the kitchen, Ren gathered the things for tea while Kyoko put on the kettle and prepared her ingredients. Once the water was hot, Ren took the refreshments out to his guests. It had only been a few minutes since he left the two alone, but they seemed a little uncomfortable. He sat the tray down and bowed to his guests.

"Please forgive my manors and the tardiness of my introduction. I am Tsuruga Ren. I am pleased to may your acquaintance." Ren stood up and offered a hand to the shocked woman on his couch. Catherine stood and shook the out stretched hand of the actor before her.

"The pleasure is mine. I'm Catherine Saunders. Kyoko's new manager. Please call me Kat." Catherine released his hand and bowed to Ren. Yashiro also stood and bowed to her.

"I am Yashiro Yukihito. Ren-san's manager," he introduced himself and offered his hand to her also. Catherine turned towards the other man, shook his hand, and bowed. She smiled at the formality of the two men.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me." She replied to Yashiro. "I hope that we can work well together." After the introductions, the two managers sat back down on the couch. The heavy atmosphere was gone; Ren smiled and served them tea.

"So, I hear you were sent to look after Kyoko by Hizuri Kuu-san," Ren questions as he poured his own cup of tea. He looked up at her with knowing eyes. Catherine stilled for a moment as his look penetrated her. She relaxed, smiled, and sipped her tea. Yashiro looked from one to the other confused. Was there more going on then he knew?

"That is right," she said, "Hizuri-san is very worried about the safety of his 'son'." She leaned forwards, placed her glass on the table, and sat back up. "I have known the Hizuri family for a long time. So when he told me 'Kuon' was in trouble, I could not say no." Ren tensed slightly at the use of his real name, but forced himself to relax before Yashiro could notice. Catherine continued with her story. "I mean, I've known Kuon for many years and I found it hard to believe that he would have had an issue with some upset fans. So I was surprised to find that the 'son' Kuu was talking about was really a young Japanese lady." Catherine smiled at the men sitting with her. "I have heard many good things about your Kyoko for both Kuu and Lory. They seem to all be true." She turned towards the doorway to the kitchen. Kyoko was just on her way out to the living room. She had heard what Catherine said and blushed lightly at the praise.

"So you know Kuon?" Kyoko asked. She walked over to the table and sat on the floor next to Ren. Ren passed her a cup of tea silently trying not to freak out. Catherine glanced at the two men sitting with her and back at Kyoko. She had looked a Yashiro so as not to let them know she was checking on Ren's state of mind. She knew that Ren was concerned about his identity, but she wanted to let him know it was safe with her. She was not going to give him away.

"Kuu took me under his wing when I first started acting and I naturally got to know his family. Kuon and I ran in the same circles for a while, but I have not heard from him recently." Catherine chose her words very carefully. She was could see from the gentlemen's smile on his face that Kuon/Ren did not want his past known to the group. "But, I never lost touch with the Hizuri family. They were always good to me. But, that is a conversation for another time. So Kyoko, what is for dinner?" She changed the subject before Ren could get any more upset.

"Obanzai Ryori! I was just about to start," Kyoko popped up from her seat and turned back to the kitchen. "I was just giving the rice time to cook properly." Catherine raised her hand to stop the girl. She did not mean to send her back to the kitchen so soon.

"Do you need any help?" Catherine stood up to follow the girl.

"No." Kyoko turned and smiled at her. "This is a dinner for you and Yashiro-san. It wouldn't be right if you helped to make it. Please sit and rest." She then turned and disappeared into the kitchen. Catherine turned back to the two men. They were both smiling softly at the girl that just left. Catherine sat back down and picked up her tea.

"Well, that was interesting," Catherine exclaimed. "Is she always like that?" She asked the men. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Yes" they both laughed at Catherine's expression.

"She is very serious about her food." Ren explained. He was starting to relax again. He was impressed with the way Catherine had dodged Kyoko's question. They all laughed and relaxed to chat about Catherine's opinions about Japan and LME.

"I couldn't believe how eccentric Takarada-san is. Kuu made is sound like he was flamboyant, but I never expected him to be that far off the deep end." Catherine shook her head thinking about the president. Ren and Yashiro looked at each other with knowing grins.

"We have grown to expect that from the President." Ren sighed remembering when he first came to LME.

"He has been like this for as long as I have known him." Yashiro added with a sigh.

"Can anyone tell me what is up with that awful Pink outfit they make Kyoko wear?" Catherine cringed at the thought of it. She shook herself to rid her mind of the image. Both Yashiro and Ren grinned at her.

"It is to help the LoveMe members regain love." Ren explained to her.

"By embarrassing it into them?" Catherine retorted. They all laughed together. At that moment a loud bang issued from the kitchen

"If you will excuse me for a moment, I want to go make sure Mogami-san has everything she needs." Ren rose from his seat and left the two managers to entertain themselves. He went to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway to watch the love of his life bustling around. He sighed deeply, composed himself, and stepped into her world. "Do you need anything?"

"Um….. yes." Kyoko looked over at the new arrival to the kitchen. "Could you get out the small bowls and set them on the counter." She continued to stir two pans at once before tossing some vegetables into another. Ren had no idea how she could tend so many pot without them burning. This really was going to be a great dinner. Ren placed the requested flatware on the counter and Kyoko dismissed him from the kitchen to set the table as she started to dish up the food.

In a few minutes all the food and guest were seated at the table. Kyoko had really out done herself by serving up five Kyoto style dishes, each one in its own little dish. Catherine was very impressed with the speed and skill with which the young woman cooked. It was no wonder that she lived above a restaurant. Kyoko stood up and said a few words before the meal.

"Thank you for coming. This is to thank both Kat-chan and Yashiro-san for their hard work. Thank you also Tsuruga-san for the use of your home for our meal." Kyoko bowed to her companions. "Please enjoy." She sat down and said "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu!" the rest of the group followed and the meal was on. Ren was surprised at the first bite. He knew Kyoko was a good cook, but this was the best he had had to date. She really worked hard to tease the flavor out of the simple yet delicious food. Catherine and Yashiro were enjoying their meals as well. Kyoko watched for a moment before starting in on hers.

"Kyoko-chan," Catherine looked at her, "this is fantastic!" Kyoko blushed at the complement. Catherine took another bite as the other two dinners agreed with her. "You must teach me how to cook like this. I am only familiar with western style food." Everyone turned back to their meal wanting to finish it while it was still hot. Kyoko didn't even have to scold Ren into eating.

Once dinner was finished, Ren and Yashiro pushed Kyoko out of the kitchen and took care of the cleanup. Everyone had protested when Catherine offered to help, it was improper to let the injured party participate in the chores. Kyoko and Catherine were banished to the living room to drink more tea. Finding a pause in their conversation, Kyoko glance nervously at her manager before turning her attention to the glass in her hand, the hard part of the evening was coming up. How was she going to convince the older woman that she needed to stay here at Ren's apartment? Ren had convinced Kyoko that it was the best situation. Neither of them knew what Catherine's living arrangements were, so they didn't want to invade her space, but she was not to be left alone. Ren only had one guest room, but he did have some extra futons in case of an emergence. After talking with Yashiro, they decided that they would all just stay at Ren's apartment. Kyoko and Yashiro had already dropped off the needed supplies for their night, and Lory had supplied Ren with a bag for Catherine. Knowing Lory, Kyoko had inspected to make sure the contents were decent enough for her stay. Kyoko looked up from her drink to find Catherine holding her head with her eyes shut.

"So, Kat-chan, how are you feeling? " Kyoko asked as she sat her cup down on the table. Catherine shook her head a little and blinked hard trying to clear the tiredness and pain from her head.

"That was such a fine meal but my head is starting to hurt again. I think I need to be heading home soon. It has been a very long two days." Catherine sighed. This was the moment that Kyoko had been waiting for.

"Alright," Kyoko stood up and turned towards the kitchen, "You rest here for the moment and I will be right back." Catherine sat back on the couch and closed her eyes as Kyoko disappeared into the other room.

The guys had just finished putting the dishes away when Kyoko stepped into the room. She paused in the doorway just long enough to watch Catherine close her eyes.

"She said her head is starting to hurt again." Kyoko whispered to the boys. "If we leave her on the couch for a little longer she may fall asleep."

"We still have not decided on how we are going to get her to stay," said Yashiro. He wiped his hands and hung the towel up to dry. His eyes flipped between Ren and Kyoko. Then something crossed his mind. "Has Saunders-san taken any of the pain killers that the doctor gave her?" Kyoko looked confused at him.

"No I don't think so," She responded. Yashiro grinned before pulling a glass down and filling it with water.

"I think it is time she did what the doctor told her to do," Yashiro took the glass out into the living room. Ren and Kyoko looked at each other confused. They both turned and followed the grinning manager. Yashiro went over to Catherine's bag and pulled out the bottle of pills from the hospital. He sat down on the couch next to Catherine and touched her shoulder. "Saunders-san, it's time to take the medication the doctor gave you." Catherine opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I was waiting till I got home to take that. Those pills make me drowsy." Catherine ignored the water glass offered to her. Yashiro became very serious.

"It says that you need to take these with food and if you wait till you get home it will be too late." Yashiro pressed the glass and pills into her hands. Catherine looked at him confused. When she did not move, he took the bottle back and pulled out one of the large narcotics the doctor had prescribed to her. "Take it." He insisted while placing the pill into her hand. She was taken aback by his demand so she placed the pill in her mouth and chased it down with the water. "There, that was not so bad." Yashiro took the glass back to the kitchen leaving Catherine shocked. Kyoko and Ren looked on surprised by the mild tempered man. Yashiro was usually much gentler then that. They followed him back into the kitchen. "Now we just wait for the pills to kick in and put her to bed. Problem solved." Yashiro smiled as he cleaned the cup and put it away. Kyoko was awed by his audacity.

"That is very under handed of you," Kyoko reprimanded him. Yashiro turned a questioning gaze towards her.

"Do you have a better solution?" he asked.

"Umm…." She could not think of one and sighed in defeat. "Ok, you guys go sit down and I will bring out some dessert." Ren just watched the exchange with wide eyes. He would have to remember not to cross his intrepid manager.

After about twenty minutes the pills took full effect and Catherine was sound asleep on the couch. She had laid her head back and was slouched over onto Kyoko's shoulder. Kyoko felt really bad about tricking the kind woman into sleeping, but she knew it was for her own good. Yashiro stood up and picked her limp form up as Ren and Kyoko went to the spare room to get it ready for her. Yashiro placed her on the bed and Ren pulled out the extra bedding. Kyoko chased the boys out of the room and changed her manager into a pajama set and tucked her in for the night. Once everything was settled she went out to sit with the guys, it was starting to get late and they still needed to make plans for tomorrow. Catherine was going to be very upset with the lot of them.

"So what do we tell her tomorrow?" Kyoko asked as she hunched over her tea. "She is going to be so mad."

"We tell her that she fell asleep and we could not wake her so she had to stay. And you stayed to take care of her. It's almost the truth." Ren suggested. It would be the easiest explanation.

"But we tricked her into it, knowing this would happen." Kyoko continued as she started to wilt from the weight of her actions.

"Don't worry about it, Kyoko-chan," Yashiro tried to calm her. "If Saunders-san is going to be mad at someone, it will be me. I made her take that pill." He sighed. Tricking the girl he just met was not a good way to make friends. "Besides, this was the basic plan anyway." Kyoko nodded in agreement.

"We will just wait for tomorrow. There is nothing that can be done tonight." Ren sighed and stood up. "We all need to be heading to bed too." He turned to Kyoko, "Please let us know if you need anything tonight, Mogami-san." He picked up the dessert stuff and took it to the kitchen to be washed. Yashiro and Kyoko finished cleaning up and the three friends wished each other good night and went to their rooms.


	9. Chapter 9

Yays! Here is the next chapter in our story. Sorry, this one is kind of long. I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Catherine woke up early the next morning. Her head was hurting her, but not as bad as the day before. She opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. As she lay still, taking in the sounds around her, she could hear the soft breathing of someone in the same room, but they were farther away from her then the bed would allow. She sat up carefully and looked at the well-furnished bedroom; a quick search revealed the sleeping form of Kyoko in a second bed in the room. She smiled at the trickery of her companions as she came to the conclusion that they never took her home last night. She looked at the digital alarm clock on the side table and saw that it was 5 am. It was a little too early to really be awake, but she didn't want to go back to sleep. She got up quietly and stumbled over a bag sitting on the floor next to the bed. She opened the bag to find clothing and other personal items. There was another bag at the foot of Kyoko's bed so she figured this one was supposed to be for her. She picked it up and headed out to find the bathroom.

Kyoko stirred from her sleep when she heard the door shut. She rose up to her elbows to try to determine what had woken her and found that Catherine was gone. Panic started to flood the young woman until she heard the water running in the bathroom. Letting out a sigh of relief she laid back down on the bed for a moment. She pulled out her phone from where she stashed it last night and looked at the time, 5:10, it was still too early to really be up, but if Catherine was getting up, so was she. After pulling on some clothing, she headed out to the kitchen to start breakfast for the group. There were a lot of people to cook for this morning.

The water running in the bathroom woke Ren from his light sleep. He hadn't slept well knowing Kyoko was just in the other room. He had wanted to get up and go check on her many times, but with Yashiro sleeping on the futon on his floor, he didn't dare do so. He was impressed with the way that Yashiro had handled the situation the night before. His manager was not someone to be messed with. Ren looked at the clock next to his bed, 5:19. Looking over at the sleeping man on the floor, Ren got up and quietly went out to see who was up. He found Kyoko poking around in the kitchen and figured that it was Catherine in the bath. Ren leaned against the door frame and watched his heart's desire for a moment, caught up in her little movements. The way she almost danced around his kitchen made his heart beat faster. He loved the fact that she was so comfortable there. She knew more about the things there then he did. He took some time to compose himself so he would not scare her when she saw him.

"Hey," he said softly to her.

"EEPP!" she squealed dropping the pan she had gotten out. She whipped around to look at the offending voice. Ren laughed softly, pushed away from the door frame and walked, barefoot, into the kitchen. Kyoko glared knives at him. "Why did you do that?" she hissed at him, trying not to make more noise. Ren bent over and picked up the pan.

"I was just coming out to see who was sneaking around the apartment. I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled softly at her. "I hope this didn't wake anyone else up." He looked at the offending object and handed it back to her. Kyoko turned bright red and took the pan from him. Afraid that she disturbed Yashiro's sleep she quietly set it on the stove. Ren laughed softly again at her antics, if the pan dropping did not wake the only sleeping person in the apartment, her putting it on the stove would not have. He turned to go check on his guest. "If you need anything, just let me know."

"Ok," she called as she busied herself with pulling items out of the refrigerator for breakfast. She paused long enough to watch him walk out of the room. His sudden appearance had surprised her. 'He looks so good first thing in the morning in his silk pajamas. The way his hair stuck up on the one side….' She shook her head sharply to dislodge that thought from her brain. What was she thinking! These were not thoughts she should be having about her most respected senpai! She set about cooking a western style breakfast for the group. The unusual food would give her something to occupy her mind.

Yashiro was lying face down on the futon when Ren got up to see what was going on. He had woken up to the sound of the running water too, but he was not going to intruder on the quiet time between his favorite thick couple. He was hoping the early morning light would shine on their love. He laid there listening to the water run and hoping that Kyoko was in the kitchen. He was startled when the pan hit the floor, but relaxed when he did not hear yelling or more noise. He thrashed about on his futon in fan girl mode thinking about all of the cute and lovey thing those two could be doing. Then sighed and fell still. He knew it was only his imagination and it would take more than just a little early morning light to get those two together. He heard the water stop and decided that he needed to hit the shower next. Ren came back into the room and saw him staring at the ceiling, the covers strung about from his fan girl moment. Ren laughed at the position his manager was in. Yashiro extracted himself from the bedding and folded it up before taking his bag and heading towards the shower without saying a word to his charge.

Catherine had a nice shower. Her head was feeling better now that the last of the pain killers was wearing off. She hurt, but she could think again. She examined the damage to the side of head. There was a very bright bruise that had formed around the line of tiny stiches. They had really taken extra care to make sure the scar would be a nice clean line. Whoever packed the bag thought of everything she would need. There were extra bandages, some medicine for the cut, and makeup. Catherine decided to be bold about the cut and show it off. She pulled on the dress slacks and a fitted t-shirt she found in the bag. She didn't even cover up the bruise with the makeup. If anything she did the rest of her make up to accent it. This would give her a more menacing look. She was determined to show that she was not going to be scared by this incident. She styled her hair lose so she would be able to swing it back to show off the stiches if needed. She stood back and looked at the results of her work. Please with herself she dropped her bag inside the guestroom and went to get breakfast, unaware that the others in the apartment were awake.

Catherine came out of the bedroom as Yashiro was heading to the bathroom with his bag. Neither party was paying attention and nearly ran into each other in the hallway. Coming up just short of a collision, their eyes met in surprise. Yashiro's surprise turned to shock as his eyes were pulled to the dark area on the woman's face. It looked worse than he remembered. The smile she flashed him was sweet yet very cold.

"Good morning, Yashiro-san." She gleamed at him. Yashiro shrank back. She was MAD! Her smile was on par with Ren's gentleman smile.

"G-good morning." Yashiro stammered back to her. He took a step back. "H-how was your n-night?" he asked. His terror was starting to spread.

"I slept well. I was extremely surprised to wake up here this morning," the sparkles from her smile were starting to crackle the air around her. Yashiro swore that he could see where it was actually starting to lift the ends of her hair up. He took another step back and raised his bag between them for protection. It was only then that he remembered where he was going.

"Um…. That is.. um…. Well I need to go take my shower now. I will see you in a little bit," Yashiro squeaked and ran into the bathroom to hide from her for a minute. He leaned against the closed door and shivered. He knew she was going to be angry, but he did not know it would be that bad. He could handle her yelling, but that Mio like air was just too much for this early in the morning.

Catherine watched him run in fear and smiled with satisfaction. She was mad at the man for tricking her into staying last night. After thinking about it in the shower, she understood why they had made her stay. She was not going to stay mad at them, but she needed them to respect her more. At least they could have asked her opinion last night. She sighed as she continued into the kitchen; she could smell the bacon and coffee coming from the room. Kyoko was standing at the stove flipping French toast onto plates when Catherine stepped in. She made enough noise that Kyoko looked up and tensed upon seeing her manage. Kyoko could only see her right profile as Catherine reached into the cabinet to get a cup for the coffee.

"You know, if you had asked me last night to stay, I wouldn't have disagreed too much." Catherine sighed as she set the cup on the counter and reached for the craft of coffee. Kyoko froze solid at the disappointment in the older woman's voice. "There was no need to trick me into staying." She poured the coffee into the cup. Kyoko dropped to the floor in a dogeze bow.

"Please forgive me I know it was wrong to kidnap you like that and we should have asked you to stay instead of forcing you but we were worried about your health and the doctor said you should not be by yourself last night..." Kyoko stammered her apology. It went on for about three minutes as Catherine stood there sipping her coffee. She had turned to lean against the counter as Kyoko rambled on.

"Enough." Catherine said as sat the cup down, crossed her arms, and turned to her charger. Kyoko silence as soon as Catherine spoke. She knew that Catherine had every right to quit and she was sure that was going to happen. Catherine did not say anything as Kyoko clung to the floor. Catherine looked over to where the breakfast was burning on the stove. "You should really get up and watch that." Catherine pointed to the stove. Kyoko levitated from the floor back to the mostly ruined bread that was charring in the pan. She squeaked another apology and scooped the burnt toast out of the pan and into an empty plate to be disposed of. Catherine took the plate from her and walked away with it. Kyoko stared at her as she filled the plate with some of the other items Kyoko had made. She was going to eat the burnt French toast!

"Wait!" Kyoko raised her hand to take the plate from Catherine. Catherine turned her face to Kyoko catching her in a glare. The younger woman froze as the full extent of the injury showed on the older woman's face. Kyoko was shocked that she had left the wound exposed. Having effectively stopped Kyoko's protested, Catherine took the food out to the table to eat it. She had allowed Kyoko to burn the food; she was going to eat it as punishment. Kyoko stood there in shock and watched her manager walked out. She did not understand what had just happened. She expected something else from this morning.

Catherine sat at the table in the living room. She could hear Kyoko recovering in the kitchen and the water running in the bathroom. She was happy with the reaction of two of the three cohorts that arranged her stay here. She was just waiting for the third to appear. As she sat on the floor at the coffee table, the object of her thoughts opened the bedroom door and came out. Ren looked over at her and changed his course. He was going to go over to the kitchen and get breakfast before his shower, but dealing with his guest came first. He stopped on the other side of the table and bowed deeply to her.

"Please forgive our behavior last night." Ren apologized, "We should have asked your option on the subject before taking your health into our own hands." Catherine cocked an eyebrow at him. 'So he heard Kyoko' she thought.

"As long as you realize your error, I forgive you." Catherine bowed her head to Ren. He straightened up and looked at her. She held her head just right so that her hair covered most of the left side of her face. Since he apologized right away, she was not going to intimidate him…. Much. She smirked up at him. "Don't do it again." He swallowed hard. He knew she could make his life hell if she wanted to. She could see the worry in his face. "Don't freight. I won't tell her anything. I promise." Ren relaxed with this reassurance. He knew that she would keep her word. "Go get some food before Kyoko burns anymore." Catherine poked the charred toast with her fork. Ren retreated to the kitchen. Catherine watched him go to the woman he loved before shaking her head and continued to eat.

Ren walked into the kitchen to see Kyoko mechanically cooking the rest of breakfast. The rest of the food was cooked perfectly, so Ren wondered why Catherine's was burnt so badly. Kyoko was a much better cook then that. Kyoko heard him come in and turned to face him, despair showed on her face as her senpai walked into the room. Tears welled up in her eyes as stared at him.

"She HATES me!" Kyoko cried and she fell to the floor. "She is never going to speak to me again!" She started to turn to dust on the floor as Ren stood over her wondering what to do for the wilting girl. Ren bent over to lift her up.

"Did you apologize properly?" He asked the drying husk that had been Kyoko. She nodded her head in defeat. Ren looked at her confused. "What did she say?" He pushed her for more information.

"NOTHING!" Kyoko responded in despair. "She just took the burnt French toast and left!"

"Burnt French toast?" Ren questioned what was left of his kohai.

"I burnt it during my apology and she took it!" Kyoko cried. Ren smiled and shook his head.

"Calm down Kyoko, I am sure she just felt responsible for distracting you from your cooking. Just sit down and talk with her a little. I am sure it will be ok." Ren reassured the distraught girl in front of him. Kyoko calmed at his words.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"If we explain our reasons then yes, everything should be fine." Ren patted Kyoko on the head and went to get some coffee. When he turned back, Kyoko handed him a plate full of food. He forced a smile and took the plate from her. He went back out to sit at the table with Catherine. She smiled at the breakfast he was eating. She knew he never liked to eat in the morning either.

Yashiro finished getting dressed and came out to find his charge and he worst nightmare sitting comfortably in the living room together. 'Why is he so calm?" he thought as he slipped past them into the kitchen. Wonderful smells were issuing from the pans Kyoko was tending. Kyoko saw him come in and dished him up a plate as he poured coffee for himself.

"Did you talk to Saunders-san this morning?" Yashiro asked Kyoko. The young woman blanched at his inquiry.

"Yes." The simple answer spoke volumes after his experience with the woman in question. "Tsuruga-san says we just need to sit and talk with her." Yashiro looked at her doubtfully.

"He was out there sitting with her having breakfast. They looked quite comfortable." Yashiro said in amazement. "I was scared to death of her when I saw her in the hallway." He shuddered as he remembered the incident in the hall. Kyoko looked at him in surprise. How could Ren be siting calmly with her? She had been so mad earlier. They both poked their heads out of the kitchen to see the two sitting together. There was no hostility visible. They looked at each other confused. Yashiro took his plate and cup and went out to the living room to sit down. Kyoko went back to get her own food and follow him out.

"May I sit here?" Yashiro asked the two people occupying the table. Both of them looked up at the nervous manager. Catherine smile sweetly. Yashiro stiffened at her expression expecting to be turned away.

"Of course you can." Catherine answered and waved him to the table. She seemed too peaceful. Yashiro sat down and looked at his food.

"Um…" He began. Catherine looked up at the uncomfortably man as he wiggled in his seat. "Well, I would like to apologize for my actions last night." Kyoko came over and sat next to the nervous man.

"We should have asked you before forcing you to stay." Kyoko continued where Yashiro left off. Catherine turned to look at her.

"We are sorry." They both said in unison. Catherine's face softened and a real smile graced her lips.

"Well as long as you understand why I am upset it's ok," shock lit the faces of the two guilty parties as Catherine forgave them. Ren continued to eat as if there was nothing going on. She continued, "If you have just explained to me your reasons, I wouldn't have been able to object. The reasoning behind your actions was sound, the execution, however, left somewhat to be desired." Catherine sipped her coffee as they looked on with disbelief. They were going to get off easy this time. "In the future, please consult me before doing such again." With that, Catherine stood up to take her empty plate to the kitchen. Yashiro and Kyoko could not do anything as they watched her walk out of the room. They had both expected her to remain mad for a while. Ren finished his breakfast and stood up.

"See. I told you it would all work out." He left to tend to his dished and take his shower. The two left looked at one another and dug into their meal. It had been a complicated morning already and they still had a long day ahead of them.

Ren walked into the kitchen while Catherine was running water in the sink. She took his plate from him and set it into the soapy water.

"That was really evil." Ren smiled to the girl. She looked at him with a wicked grin on her face.

"I know. But you all will think twice before pulling a stunt like that again." She said then turned back to her water.

"True." Ren left to get ready for the day.


	10. Chapter 10

Here is the next chapter for your enjoyment. Thank you for your support.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

By 8 o'clock the group was ready to leave; Ren had to be on set soon and was going to drop Catherine and Kyoko off at LME before heading over. The seating arrangement in the car was the same as last night. Yashiro insisted that Kyoko sit in the front with Ren claiming that he has some work to do, and Catherine just went to the back driver's side without saying a word leaving Kyoko with no one to argue with. It only took a moment for them all to settle in for the short ride to the office.

"Thank you for your hospitality and the ride Tsuruga-san," Catherine bowed to their driver from the sidewalk in front of LME when Ren had deposited them. "We should do this again sometime." Ren nodded his agreement before Catherine turned and started inside. Kyoko bowed to the departing men and followed her manager into the main building. Since Kyoko had LoveMe work to do today, Catherine dropped her off at the locker room and headed to the president's office. She needed to talk to him some more about what they were going to do. When Catherine arrived she found Lory dressed as a pirate captain, complete with parrot.

"Good afternoon Captain." She called up to the fake ship on wheels, "Permission to come aboard?" Lory grinned down at her, happy that someone would play along with him.

"Permission granted," he called as he tossed a rope ladder down the side of the ship. Catherine caught it and climbed up. It was an interesting feat in heals, but doable. He helped the woman over the railing and looked up at her wound. She turned her face so he could see it better. "You could have covered that with the bandages I sent." He reached up and pushed the hair back to get a better view. He observed the tinny stiches that were lined up neatly. 'That should not leave much of a scar.' She went to sit on the bench when he was done with his inspection.

"Have we found out who is spreading these rumors?" She looked up with concern on her face. "I would like to avoid another situation like this." She waved towards the cut on her head. Lory sighed in disappointment.

"We have a few leads, but nothing is panning out." Lory produced a file from somewhere. "This is all of the information that I have at the moment." He handed the thin file to Catherine. She flipped through it before giving it back to him.

"Well, that is not much to go on." She commented as Lory stowed the file way. Lory watched with concern as she raised her hand to her head and let the pain contorted her face for a moment before taking a deep cleansing breath and letting it out. She shook her head lightly and settling back behind her mask before changing the topic slightly. "So what is going on in the news about this incident?" An attack on a star would definitely make the presses but she had not been able to check out the rag mags yet. Lory had done his best to try to keep the story out of the papers, but there were images of the assault. The paper he handed to Catherine had a very touching picture of Yashiro clutching Catherine to his chest and running from the scene as the girls around them scattered. It had been taking with a telescopic lens from a raised location and framed the couple splendidly.

"There are rumors going around, even here in LME. We have done our best, but you know how this industry works." Lory sighed. "You will probably get a lot of attention for the next few days, especially if you show that off." Lory pointed to the stiches on her face. Catherine smiled at him and raised her hand to the wound.

"I left Kyoko alone to do her work here, but I should be getting back to her." Catherine stood up and let Lory take her arm and lead her to the railing. "You have a beautiful ship, Captain." They laughed and she left down the ladder to find her charger.

Throughout the day, Catherine heard whispers as she and Kyoko ran errands. Kyoko was used to it due to the LoveMe overalls, but Catherine paid close attention to what was being said and found that most people were talking about the attack two days before. She quickly found that flashed a menacing glare and her wound usually sent the gawkers on their way. Otherwise the day went well. At the end of the day when Catherine took Kyoko home to the Darumaya, the Okami pulled the manager inside before she could leave.

"Thank you for your hard work," the Okami said, "We were really worried when Kyoko came home without you." The Taisho grunted his agreement as he continued his work. "Are you felling alright?" Catherine smiled to the older couple.

"I feel much better today. Thank you for your concern. I assure you this will not prevent me from doing my job properly." Catherine reassured them.

"Oh no, don't get the wrong idea. We were worried for your health!" The Okami pressed their concern to Catherine. Catherine nodded.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Catherine soothed the worried hostess. "I am much better and I don't think this will even leave much of a scar." Catherine turned to leave. "I do really need to get going now; there is something I must do before I go home tonight. Good night." She bowed to the group and left.

"She is such a nice woman." The Okami smiled as she left. Kyoko wondered what Catherine could be doing as she climbed to her room for the night.

Catherine sat down in the car and set her mind to her next task. This assignment was turning out to be more troubling then she first had thought. It was time to leave the business look behind and go shopping!


	11. Chapter 11

Here is the next section for your enjoyment. Please let me know if you see anything that needs correcting. Thank you for your support.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

When Kyoko came down the next morning, she was shocked by the sight awaiting here. She almost did not recognize the woman sitting at the counter. Kyoko had come to expect crisp business suits and neatly styled hair from her manager, but that was not the case today. The older woman stood in the same dark heels, but with faded blue jeans and a dark colored tank top. Even her makeup was more aggressive than before. She had a black trench coat pulled over everything and Kyoko recognized it as the coat she had been wearing the first time they met. It hung open and loose around her. Catherine had left her hair loose so that is hung in waves to her waist. The whole ensemble screamed Yankee. The only thing that the now dangerous looking manager was missing was a bat.

"Good morning." Catherine bowed to her in greeting. "We have a lot to do today." Kyoko bowed back and hurried as Catherine lead her out the door. She followed Catherine to the car and climbed inside without a word. Kyoko wondered if her manager had been affected by the head wound more than they thought.

"Are you alright?" Kyoko questioned the changed manager.

"Yeah, I feel great today." Catherine smiled and pulled out into traffic. Kyoko did not know how to approach the subject of her changed demeanor so she left it for the moment. Kyoko studied the left side of Catherine's face as they made their way to work. The manager had used makeup to cover most of the darken area around the stiches. Catherine noticed the uncomfortable silence that had settled inside the car. "Are you ready for your scenes today?" She provoked a normal response out of her charge. "I wouldn't want to you get a NG from the director because you were distracted by everything going on." This shook Kyoko back to herself.

"I spent a lot of time on that last night and I am ready for today." Kyoko regained herself as she took out her script. She would be filming with Ren this morning. She was enjoying playing in another drama with him, even if it was just a small part.

"Good. We will be there in a few minutes." Catherine signaled to change lanes. "You also have the filming of 'Totally Wild Rock' tonight." Kyoko nodded. Catherine noticed the crowd of reporters milling around as they parked at the studio. She was glad she had physically prepared for them today. The manager took a moment to mentally prepare for the confrontation as the two climbed out of the car. When Kyoko noticed the group, she faltered in her steps as she remembered the mob from a few days ago.

"Um… Maybe we should call security?" Kyoko asked.

"Na, we will be ok." Catherine reassured her as she propelled the reluctant actress towards the waiting cameras. "Just remember to not say anything to any of their questions. We have a right to be here and they cannot stop us." Catherine whispered into her ear as she braced herself for the onset of the paparazzi. Some of the group noticed the arrival of the actress and turned to her with questions. Catherine stepped closer to Kyoko and pulled her inside her trench coat and continued strait into the group without slowing down.

"Are the rumors of you and Fuwa Sho true?"

"Is it true you were attacked by his fans?"

"Were you hurt?"

"Who was the woman hit with the brick?"

"We have no comment!" Catherine yelled as she pushed the wrapped Kyoko past all the questions and cameras into to the building. Once inside the doors, Catherine released a stunned Kyoko from the inside of her coat. Again, Kyoko's footsteps faltered as the shock of the situation settled over her. She had seen this type of response to Ren, but she never thought it would happen to her. "Come on Kyoko, you have work to do." Catherine took the still stunned girl by the shoulder and guided her into the studio.

"Aaa, Yes! Thank you." Kyoko came to her senses and headed to her dressing room. Catherine followed her at a little slower pace. Her adrenalin was up from the paparazzi and she needed to cool off so she adjusted her course towards the refreshments left for the actors. This took her strait past Yashiro and Ren. They didn't notice her until she had walked up behind them.

"Good morning gentlemen," she greeted them as she picked out two bottles of water from the cooler. They both turned to look at the girl that spoke. For a moment, they did not recognize the woman, than it hit Ren.

"Saunders-san!" Surprise flavored his voice. He had seen her like this before in California, but he never expected it here. Yashiro stared at her with wide eyes.

"Please, Kat. I can't get use to the use of my last name." Catherine smiled and turned to head back to the dressing rooms. "Kyoko will be out in a bit," she called to them as she left. The two men watched her go before looked at each other, eyes still wide.

"Was that really Saunders-san?" Yashiro finally closed his mouth. "What happened to her? She looks so different today."

"I think that was." Ren turned back to the set to ponder the change. This was going to be an interesting day.

Catherine smiled all the way to the dressing rooms. She felt good after seeing the guys' shocked reactions to her new look. She entered the entertainment business because she loved showing off and turning heads. She found Kyoko's room and knocked on the door. Kyoko called to enter and Catherine let herself into the room. Kyoko had finished changing and looked again at her manager.

"Kat-chan, why did you change your look?" Kyoko could finally voice the thoughts that had been in her head all morning.

"What? Don't you like it?" Catherine spun around to give Kyoko a full view of her new style.

"That's not it… It looks good on you. I was just wondering why the sudden change. You are so different today." Kyoko continued to study her new manager. Catherine shrugged before walking over and dropping herself on the couch. She kicked her feet out to rest crossed on the table in front of her. Kyoko was not sure how to react to this change; it seemed that Catherine's personality has also changed. Catherine held out one of the bottles of water and Kyoko took it without even thinking. Catherine put an arm on the back of the couch and leaned her head back closing her eyes. The position reminded Kyoko of someone. She cocked her head and thought hard about it. Then it hit her. Sho would often sit like this when he had a long day. Kyoko gritted her teeth and the air around her darkened as she was reminded of that stupid man. Catherine felt the air chill and looked up at her charge.

"Are you ok?" concern brought Catherine from the couch to check on the trembling woman. Kyoko turned darkened eyes to the older woman. Catherine raised her hands between them to protect herself from the violent atmosphere she felt rolling off her charger. "I am sorry for startling you." Catherine explained quickly. "I decided that the problem we were dealing with needed a different approach." Kyoko's mood shifted back to normal upon hearing this unusual explanation. She cocked her head in confusion.

"How is a change in look going to help with my situation?" Kyoko didn't understand. Catherine smiled at her.

"I made the mistake of underestimating how difficult the fans we were dealing with could be." Catherine settled back onto the couch. Kyoko sat next to her. "Dressing for business is fine if I only have manager's work to do, but dressing more aggressively works better in dealing with crowd control. After talking with Lory yesterday, I was sure that I would be doing more crowd-controlling then managing, hence the change." Catherine cracked open the other bottle of water and took a big swig. "It was a good thing that I decided to make this change last night. Those reporters would have been harder to deal with as a mild mannered manager." A light came on inside Kyoko as she finally understood what was going in. There was a knock on the door before Kyoko could say anything to her manager.

"Your needed on set Kyoko," the stage hand called from the other side of the door.

"Coming!" Kyoko stood up and looked at Catherine. She found her feet and waved for Kyoko to lead the way. The two girls walked out to the set where Kyoko went to take her place and Catherine angled over to stand with Yashiro. He was busy watching Ren take his place so he didn't notice the woman's arrival. She decided to have a little fun with the bespectacled man.

"Hey there." Catherine said in a silky tone. She came to rest a little closer to him then was proper for public but not yet actually touching him. Yashiro turned to see the changed manager next to him. His movement caused him to brushing against her lightly. A soft blush bloomed on his face in reaction to the affection tone and sudden contact.

"Oh, good morning Saunders-san," Yashiro fumbled and took a slight step back to give himself more space. The soft sent of flowers followed his retreat. She smiled her amusement at his reaction.

"Please, I asked you to call me Kat. Using my last name it makes me feel so old." Catherine pouted a little. It really did not suit her new image, but it made her look really cute.

"Alright, Kat-san," Yashiro replied. His eyes traced her from head to foot and back. "You look very nice today." Catherine smiled genuinely at the compliment and the use of her name.

"Thank you. You look very nice too." Catherine stepped in to closing the gap between them so she could straiten his tie then patted his lapel down a little. "Very professional." He voice softened for the last two words. Yashiro blushed a little harder at the intimate actions, cleared his throat, and then turned back to the set.

"So…" His voice squeaked a little before he cleared it again continued. "So, how are you today?" He asked. His eyes met with his charges on set. Ren had turned in time to watch the exchange between the managers. The actor raised an eyebrow at the flustered man and chuckled. He was so going to tease Yashiro about this later.

"Not too bad." Catherine gave the flustered man a little room so he would be a bit more comfortable. "I was really surprised to see all the cameras out front this morning." Catherine pulled her bottle of water from her coat pocket and took a drink. She turned her attention to the actors on set. "I know the rumors and the attack on Kyoko is big news, but I expected the press at LME, not here."

"I don't think the studio here expected this to be such a hot topic." Yashiro glanced at her as he expressed his opinion. Catherine nodded her agreement. His pulse quickened as his eyes followed the mouth of the bottle as she raised it to her lips again. Tearing his eyes away, he shook his head a little to loosen the randomly forming thoughts. He was not sure what had come over him today. Was it the change in her attire? Her invasion of his personal space? Was that rose and jasmine perfume she was wearing? All he really knew was that he needed to get some fresh air to clear his head. "Excuse me for a moment. I need to make a phone call." Yashiro excused himself and quickly retreated to Ren's dressing room. Catherine chuckled as her entertainment fled the scene. She knew it was not nice to tease him, but she had not fully forgiven him for the pill incident. Catherine decided to find a quiet place to relax until lunch.


	12. Chapter 12

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think. As always, if you see anything that needs correcting, please let me know.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

"Cut" the director called. "Ok, now we'll break for lunch." Everyone relaxed and headed off to get food. Kyoko accompanied Ren over to where Yashiro was waiting for them. She looked around for Catherine but could not locate her anywhere. Kyoko turned to the two men talking.

"Have you seen Kat-chan?" Concern coloring her voice as she inquired to her manager's location. Yashiro looked around for the missing woman.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her for a while." Yashiro turned farther to scan the crowd relocating to where lunch was being served. Kyoko pulled out her phone and called Catherine. They were all surprised when they heard American rock music coming from the darkness behind them. They turned towards the sound and found the missing manager perched on top of a stack of wooden storage case. She had relaxed against the wall with her hands folded over her stomach and her feet crossed at the ankles, sound asleep. How she got up there was beyond anyone's comprehension. Yashiro could not help but notice how enchanting she was, her hair cascading down the side of her face. He shook his head to bring his mind back to the gravity of the situation.

"How are we going to get her down from there?" Kyoko looked to Ren for an answer. An idea popped into his head and he rapped his knuckle on the stack of cases under her. Catherine cracked one eye to the strange vibration in the box she was sitting on. She looked down on the group staring up at her. She stretched her arms, yawned, and shook herself to wake up.

"What's up?" She asked as sat up.

"It's lunch time." Ren explained as Catherine regained her senses. "Come on down and we will go get a bento." Catherine looked at them and stood up on the case she had been sitting on. There was a collective gasp when she launched herself off the box. Three sets of eyes followed her decent as she flipped and twisted in the air over their heads. She dropped to the floor on the other side of them and landed facing the group with both knees bend and a hand on the floor for stability. She held the position just long enough for the tail ends of her coat to flutter to the floor. She stood up dusting her hands off like nothing had happened as three set of wide eyes stared at her in disbelief.

"So what's for lunch?" Catherine asked to the startled faces. Ren had seen something like this before, but it was not something he had expected from her now. You could have knocked Kyoko over with a feather at this display. Visions of a similar landing Cain had done flashed through her mind. At that moment, she was sure that Catherine was not human. Yashiro just could not believe his eyes either. No one moved. Catherine looked over her shoulder to where the door was open. "Is the food this way?" She pointed towards the door and turned to lead the way. Her movement pulled the rest of them back to reality and they followed.

"Kat-chan," Kyoko ran to catch up to her, "are you ok?" She looked at her with concern.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Catherine looked at her worried charge as Kyoko glanced back at the cases. "Oh! No, I am fine. I was just a little tired from everything that has happened this week." Catherine continued towards the door way.

"That is not what I meant." Kyoko stammered as she tried to think of a way to better explain her concern.

"I think she was referring to that jump. How did you do that?" Yashiro stepped in to rescue the floundering girl. Catherine turned around and continued her walk backward without slowing her pace. She smiled at the confused people.

"Practice," She spun back around and continued walking properly. Kyoko shot Yashiro a confused look and went on. Ren followed the group quietly. He laughed to himself at the reaction of his two shocked companions. He could see that his old friend had not changed in the years since the last time he saw her. She was still in very good shape and a showoff.

The four coworkers found lunch and an empty table to eat at. Catherine pulled a bottle of aspirin out of her pocket and downed two before she started on her lunch. Yashiro noticed she was not taking the medicine that the doctor had given her.

"What happened to your prescription?" He asked as Catherine slipped the bottle of meds back in her pocket.

"I have them, but I don't dare take them during the day." She looked at him and smiled evilly. "I would hate to have a repeat of the other night. Itadakimasu!" She picked up her chopsticks and started on her food. Yashiro swallowed hard as he remembered the following morning and turned his attention to his own food. Ren poked at his plate a little until Kyoko scolded him into eating properly.

Once lunch was finished the actors and their managers went back to their dressing rooms to prepare for the second half of filming. Yashiro followed Ren into his room and shut the door. Ren smiled to himself and turned to the older man.

"So what do you think of Kyoko's new manager now that you have spent some time with her at work?" Ren poked at Yashiro with his words. He had seen the way Yashiro had been flustered by her earlier.

"Well, she is definitely not what I expected from the time I spent with her in the hospital." Yashiro ran his hand through his hair and straightened his glasses. "She is a lot more aggressive then I had first believed her to be." Ren chuckled.

"Did you see the way Kyoko reacted to her?" Yashiro nodded to Ren's question. "I think she may have changed her personality in response to everything that has happened." Yashiro paused and thought about that for a moment. Kyoko did seem off when Catherine was around, like she didn't know what to make of the woman. A light came on inside Yashiro.

"You mean she is playing a character?"

"That is exactly what I think is going on." Ren smiled at Yashiro. "I think she can to the conclusion that she needed a stronger image to deal with the problems troubling Kyoko. She did mention she had been an actress at one time."

"I see what you mean." Yashiro rolled the idea around for a minute. "But what about that jump? I mean, wow! She must be a really good athlete to do that. And in heels, none the less."

"Well, she must have to stay in pretty good shape to work as a body guard." Ren shrugged. A knock sounded at the door telling them it was time to be back on set. "You could always ask her about it." Ren teased as he left for the set. Yashiro stammered before collecting himself and following the tall man out.

Kyoko and Catherine were already in the studio when Ren and Yashiro came out. They were talking quietly about their plans for after the recording was finished. Catherine saw the men approaching and cleared her throat causing Kyoko to fall silent. She turned to see what Catherine was looking at. She thanked Catherine as the two men came up and stopped next to the ladies. Before the gentlemen could ask about their conversation, the director called for the scene to start and the actors left to take their places.

"What was that about?" Yashiro asked.

"Kyoko has some special LoveMe work to do tonight. I was just discussing it with her." Catherine said watching the actors form up. Yashiro nodded his head at her suspicious answer but let it go.

"How did you do that earlier?" Yashiro just had to know the truth. Catherine looked at him.

"What do you mean?" She was going to make him work for the answers he wanted.

"You know. That jump." Yashiro looked at the woman intently.

"Oh that. I told you. Practice." She smiled at him. He started to look cross at her answer so she elaborated a little bit. "I use to free run with some friends back home." Yashiro was slightly shocked at this news. He had a hard time imagining the well-dressed woman he rescued free running. He needed a moment to process this information so he turned back to watch the performance back on stage. Catherine's head was starting to ache again so she found a chair nearby and sat down.

It was not long until Kyoko's filming was done for the afternoon and the two girls were prepared to leave. They said their goodbyes to both Ren and Yashiro and made their way to out of the studio. The crowd of reporters was still waiting outside for Kyoko. Obviously the attack on the young actress was the best story they could come up with today, so Catherine stopped Kyoko before the mob could see them.

"How about we try a different exit? Losing them coming in was much easier then it will be going to the car." Catherine said as she pulled the actress in a different direction. Kyoko agreed and followed the woman down the corridor. "Normally I would walk right past them, but my head hurts and I would rather not deal with it right now." She walked until she came to an entrance that led to the ally at the side of the building. Catherine stuck her head out and found that the coast was mostly clear. She closed the door and reached in one of the pockets of her coat and pulled out a black fedora rolled around some sunglasses. She straitened them out and put them on. Next she took the coat off and slipped Kyoko inside it. It was a little large, but the fit was not too bad. Kyoko was surprised at how heavy the coat was. Now that their disguise was complete, Catherine opened the door and led Kyoko down the alley, past the mob, and straight to the car without anyone noticing the pair. Once at the car, Catherine took the coat back and put it on before getting in.

"What are you carrying in the pockets of that thing?" Kyoko asked as she settled in for the ride to her next job.

"Oh, just some things that I might need." Catherine smiled as she pulled out into traffic. The rest of the day's jobs went well. There were no cameras waiting for them at the filming of Totally Wild Rock, because no one knew Kyoko was Bo. Catherine stayed in the prop room during the filming, her head was really killing her now. She was going to be glad when she could get home to take her medication. Kyoko was starting to get use to the change in her manager. Even though her look and demeanor had changed a little, she was still the same caring person that Kyoko had grown accustom too.


	13. Chapter 13

Here is the next chapter for your enjoyment. Please let me know if you see anything that needs correcting. Thank you for your support.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

The next few days went about the same. Catherine spent most of her time intimidating the troubled fans and paparazzi into behaving so Kyoko could get on with school and work. The bit part Kyoko was doing for Ren's drama wouldn't be needed for filming again for a few more days, so they didn't have the opportunity to meet up with Ren and Yashiro. When Catherine went to have the stitches removed, the doctors were happy with her progress. It looked as if her cut was healing well and the scar would not be too visible. This news made Kyoko very happy.

Having left Kyoko to finish a special LoveMe project, Catherine stopped in to visit with Lory for his update on Kyoko's situation. Today's visit was also to let him know how her recovery was going. She only paused a moment to take in the view as she walked into the door of president's office. Today Lory had jungle vines hanging from the ceiling and a live orangutan eating bananas next to the desk. The man himself was dressed in skins like Tarzan. Catherine shook her head and went to sit on the vine covered chair.

"Don't you think you have overdone it a little today?" She looked at the scantily clad president. "I mean, this is Japan and they do have very sensitive morals here." Lory considered her for a moment.

"You have a point." Lory clapped his hands and Sebastian brought in a tan safari suit. As the president pulled it on over his leather loin cloth, Sebastian picked up the young orangutan and took it out of the room. Catherine laughed when the silent servant returned a few minutes later with a young tiger on a leash instead.

"You really know how to take it over the top." She reached down and petted the big cat settling itself near her feet. The tiger turned his massive head to her so she could scratch under its chin. She pulled back when the tiger started to mouthing her hand. Even though the cat seemed somewhat tame, she didn't want to be anywhere neat those big teeth when they were exposed. "So, have we found out where the rumors are coming from?" Catherine leaned back into her chair.

"I think we have." Lory pulled a folder from his desk and handed it to Catherine. She opened it and frowned at the contents.

"Are you sure this it right?" Catherine read the material again before closing the folder and handing it back to Lory's outstretched hand.

"It was really hard to believe, so I have had this information checked several times." Lory placed the folder back into his desk drawer. He leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers, and lost himself in thought for a moment.

"The question is how do we go about stopping this person from spreading more rumors?" Catherine turned her mind to the problem at hand. "I don't think we should tell Kyoko about this development."

"Absolutely! It would only upset and distract her." Lory sat up and leaned on his desk. "In fact, if she never found out about this it would be better." Catherine nodded her agreement again. "I think the best thing to do is what we have been doing. Give official statements when the rumors hit and make sure she is protected. That is all we can do at the moment." Lory sighed and then looked at Catherine. "How is your head doing?" Lory inquired, trying to get a better look at the left side of the manager's face. Catherine angled her head so he could see and pushed the concealing hair back to expose the angry red line on her temple. Lory grunted his approval of her progress.

"The headache is gone and it has healed fairly well." Catherine let the hair fall back. "Once it has healed a little more, it should be no problem to hide. The bruise on my arm has almost faded completely." She pulled her sleeve up to show the slightly yellowish-green area on her forearm.

"That is very good. It will make getting a dress easier for you." Catherine dropped her arm and tilled her head to contemplate what the president said, confusion clear on her face. Lory smiled, "I have made arrangement for Ren to take Kyoko to a benefit tomorrow night." Catherine's eyes widened in disbelief, 'Was he being serious?' "I think it would be good to have her make a public appearance with someone other than Sho." Lory continued to explain. "Maybe then his fans would believe the statements that have been made." Catherine's face lifted as she understood.

"But couldn't that possibly start rumors about her and Tsuruga-san?" Catherine puzzled. This could be a two edged sword, yes it would draw the press from her and Sho, but it could cast her in a completely different light. If this was not played carefully, she could look like a player, and that was never a good role for an up and coming talent.

"Not at all. They are both members of LME. If there are any questions we simply state that they took the tickets for another real couple that could not make it." Lory smiled. He pulled out an invitation with his and Maria's name on it. "They can use these." Two tickets stuck out from the card. "I can't go and it would be a shame to waste this opportunity." Catherine grinned at the cunning man, this was a perfect plan. Lory pulled another two tickets from his desk and added them to the first set. Kathern looked puzzled. 'Why two more tickets?' she wondered. "These are your and Yashiro's tickets." He handed the lot over to her. "Please make sure everyone has proper attire for the evening's activities." Catherine took the offered items and looked at them.

"Umm… Why are Yashiro-san and I going? Kyoko should be safe enough with Tsuruga-san." Catherine rubbed the embossed paper with her thumb.

"Double Date!" Lory laughed. Catherine glares up at his mirth and he sighed in his happiness. "Seriously, Kyoko needs you. And it would be improper to make you go by yourself." Catherine let her face go blank and nodded her head. The last thing she wanted to be to Ren and Kyoko's evening was a third wheel. She placed the passes in the envelope and stowed it in her coat pocket.

"Do Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san know that they will be attending this event with Kyoko?" Catherine asked suspiciously.

"Not yet, but I have cleared all of your schedules for tomorrow. Please make the proper arrangements. You can use the LME account for anything you need." Lory smiled evilly.

"Alright, then I need to get back to work. Kyoko is relatively safe here, but I don't want to leave her alone for too long; especially with this development." Catherine prepared to leave.

"There is one other thing that needs to be addresses." Lory picked up three folders from the corner of his desk. "These are offers for Kyoko. I have looked over them and think they would be a good move for her. Please make sure that she considers each one carefully." He hands them to Catherine. "And if there is anything that I can do for you, let me know." Catherine tucked the folders under her arm and bowed slightly to the man.

"Have a nice day." She called to him as she slipped out the door. She rolled the gravity of the situation over in her mind as she made her way to the LoveMe locker room. If the rumors were coming from that source, it would explain why they were being taken seriously by the public. But why would that person want to ruin either Sho or Kyoko's careers? She could only hope the president could take care of the problem. Her mind turned to the pressure he just placed on her. A benefit was the last thing she wanted to think about right now. She tried to put off thinking about that by pulling out the three offers and looking at them. The first one was an ongoing police drama Ren was staring in. They wanted Kyoko to play a criminal for a few episodes. A bit part, but still, it was good work. The second was a commercial for a hotel chain. She would get to be someone checking in, nice and easy. The third was for a music video. Catherine nearly dropped the file when she saw the name of the singer. Even with all the drama in the news, Sho was asking her to be in his pv? Catherine closed the folders and went to find her charge.

Kyoko was manhandling a large stack of folders out of a conference room when Catherine finally located her. Kyoko could not see past them and was only guessing on how to navigate the hallway. Catherine came over and relived her of half the pile before Kyoko realized she was the.

"How did you meeting go with the president?" Kyoko asked as she led the way to deliver the papers.

"Good. He gave me some new offers for you." Catherine followed her down the stairs and into an office. "I looked over them, and I think you will like most of them." Kyoko placed the stack of papers on the table. Catherine sat hers next to Kyoko's before pulled the three files out and handed them to Kyoko. She took a few minutes and looked over the first two with a smile, but she froze when she opened the third folder.

"The first two are fine, but I can't do this." She closed the third folder and started to hand it back to her manager.

"Alright, I'm not here to force you into anything you don't want to do, but Lory did ask me to have you think about these offers very carefully." Catherine took the folder from Kyoko and looked at it again. "It is a simple part and these people did help you get your first real role." Kyoko stopped and considered what her manage was saying. Haruki Asami was directing this PV and she was grateful to the woman for showing Director Ogata the Prisoner PV early. It had ensured her the role as Mio. Kyoko reached out to take the folder back.

"I will think about it." Kyoko placed this folder with the other two. Catherine smiled, she was sure that this would help with Kyoko's image.

"Good, I will make arrangements for the first two while you think about the last one. Now, if you are done here, we have other work that needs done today." Catherine turned before Kyoko could answer and headed out to the locker room. Kyoko stepped quickly to catch up to her manager.


	14. Chapter 14

Here is the next section for you. As always, If you see something I have missed, please let me know.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Catherine spent most of the ride to the studio where Kyoko's current joint effort with Ren was taking place in contemplation. Kyoko could tell that something was on her manager's mind, but when she asked about it, Catherine just made a slight uncomfortable noise and shook her head. Kyoko left the woman to her thoughts and turned her mind to the work ahead of her. The number of reporters waiting for the actress's arrival had diminished when they realized that Kyoko's manager was not going to let them pick over the young woman. They were able to walk inside with only two people calling questions to the talent. Catherine led Kyoko straight to her dressing room and let the door fall shut before rounding on the young woman.

"I need you to hold still for me." Catherine broke her silence, having come to the only conclusion that she could find to the problems pressing her. An odd expression of confusion crosses the young actresses' face as she froze in response to the older woman's demand. Catherine reached out pulled Kyoko's arms out straight from her sides. "Now don't move please." Catherine proceeded to softly run her hands all over Kyoko's body, from her neck clear down to her toes. Kyoko started to protest but was cut short when Catherine muttered a quick 'Please'. She finished by ringing Kyoko's wrists with her fingers and pressing one of Kyoko's palm and fingers flat to her own. "Ok. I'm done. Thank you." Catherine dropped the girls hand before turning and leaving the room. Kyoko stood there for a moment confused by the odd behavior. She wanted to go ask what that was about, but she decided she needed to get changed for her part first.

Catherine found her other two targets already on set and angled her course to meet them. Ren was waiting for the next scene to be prepared for him when Catherine walked up to him and bowed.

"Good afternoon, Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san. Could you please come with me for a moment?" Ren nodded before following Catherine as she led the way back towards the dressing room. Yashiro, unsure if the request included him, decided it would be best to trail along a few steps behind them. Once out of sight of the main crew, Catherine stopped and turned to the tall actor.

"Please hold still for a moment." Ren stopped at this request to see what Kyoko's manager needed. Catherine reached out and pulled his arms into the same position as she had done with Kyoko. Catherine stepped inside his personal space as she encircled his neck with her fingers and proceeded to pull them forward till the thumbs touched before running her hands down his chest. Being uncomfortable by her gentle touch, Ren started to take a step back from the forward woman, but was stopped when she turned her imploring eyes at him. "This will only take a moment, please be still." Catherine continued running her hands down to his sternum, across his chest to his sides, and continuing to waist. She paused there and wrapped her arms around him just enough so that her fingertips touched at his spine before releasing him. She then placed her palm on his hip and counted as she pulled her hand at a steady speed down his leg. She finished by placing her hand on one of his shoulders and running it down the length of his arm to end with her fingers encircling his wrists. Yashiro stared at them open mouthed, it was one of the most intimate things he has seen in a while. "Thank you." She released his hand and bowed before walked away leaving Ren frozen in place. Having just come out of her dressing room, Kyoko witnessed most of the event and walked up to the shocked actor.

"She did that to me a few minutes ago also." Her eyes followed the confusing woman as pulled a phone out of her coat pocket and proceeded to make a call. Kyoko's words brought Yashiro back to reality and he turned to chase after the woman that he had witness molest his charge in public. He wanted an explanation on what she thought she was doing!

"….need to have that by tomorrow morning. Is it possible?" Yashiro heard Catherine talking into the phone as he approached her. "Good. I will have the other's when I come in. Ok. Ok. Good." Catherine noticed the irate man fuming next to her and held up a finger to ask him to wait for a moment. "The name will be Saunders. Thank you for your services." She closed the phone and turned to him. "Just the man I wanted to see." She took Yashiro by the arm and dragged him back to the stunned actors. "Tsuruga-san, I need to borrow your manager for a little bit. I promise to have him back before you are done." She bowed and pulled the stunned man behind her before anyone could protest. "Please take care of Kyoko for me." She called as she left the studio. The two stars just watched in awe as Yashiro was kidnapped in front of them. They didn't know what to make of the women's strange actions.

"Wait!" Yashiro pulled against the mad woman that had just absconded with him. "What is going on here?" Catherine relinquished her hold on the protesting man's arm and turned to consider him.

"We're going shopping." She said as if it was the obvious thing. Yashiro decided that she had finally lost it and turned to go back to his charge. She grabbed his arm again to stop him. "Please, I'm sorry for the confusion but I really need your help with a task from the president." She coaxed him into going with him. Yashiro sighed.

"Alright, I will go with you." Yashiro gave in and Catherine slid her grasp from his arm to his hand before leading him away. "But you have to tell me what is going on. And what that was back there."

"Don't worry about that. You will see in a moment." Catherine pulled him to her car and stuffed him in before he could change his mind.

In no time they were speeding towards the shopping district in Tokyo. Yashiro studied the side of her features as she drove. She had a determined look on her face, like someone on a mission. Noticing his attention, she turned her head a little and smiled at the bespectacled man. "Don't worry, I promise not to eat you."


	15. Chapter 15

Here is the second part of the shopping trip. Please let me know if anything needs correcting.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Once the car was parked, Catherine led her captive towards the clothing section of the stores. She stopped at the door of a famous designer retail shop and ushered Yashiro inside. Yashiro took in all the latest styles of men's formal wear lining the wall as his captor guided him to the clerk waiting at the desk.

"My name is Saunders. I called a little bit ago. Here is the other one." She presented Yashiro for the clerk's inspection.

"Very good," The clerk stepped out from behind the deck and motioned for the man to follow him. "You want this set to be the same as the other?"

"Yes please." Catherine replied. "I will have to come back with the matching colors. They have not been decided on." The clerk nodded before leading a confused Yashiro into a fitting area where he took out a cloth tape and wrapped it around the manager's neck. Catherine leaned in the doorway with her arms crossed watching as the clerk lifted Yashiro's arms and moved the tap to his chest. "Figured it out yet?" She asked her companion. Yashiro thought about the strange incident at the studio and it hit him. She had measured Ren for a suit!

"Ummm. Why are we getting suits?" Yashiro turned as the clerk measured his back.

"That is a question for Takarada-san. I just do what I am told." Catherine shrugged. If Lory had not informed them, then there might be a reason. Once the clerk had taken all of the needed measurements, he relinquished his customer, and turned to the woman in charge of the operation.

"We will have these ready for pickup tomorrow morning." The clerk bowed to them. "The sooner you can get us the matching colors, the sooner we can have it ready." Catherine bowed back.

"I will stop in as soon as the colors are picked out. Could you please prepare a red and black as well for both men? In case a suitable match cannot be made quickly." The clerk bowed and Catherine took Yashiro out of the shop.

"I am still a little lost." Yashiro admitted. "What is going on?" Catherine pulled her phone out and called the president.

"Hey, it's me. Can I tell Yashiro-san what is going on?" Catherine asked. The president gave a positive response and she hung up before turning to the confused man. "There is a benefit tomorrow night that Takarada-san has promised both Kyoko and Ren to. They are going to be going as a couple per president's orders." At this news Yashiro squeed loudly as his fan girl mode kicked in. He was going to get to see those two dressed up as a couple tomorrow evening. 'But why did he have to get a suit too?' He turned to his companion and she answered his question before he could ask it. "I am going as protection for Kyoko, and you are going as my date." Catherine walked on as Yashiro stopped in shock. 'The president set me up with this woman?' Catherine turned and waited for him to catch up. He shook himself and hurried to her as she opened the door of another high-end clothing shop. This one was filled with ladies dresses for all occasions.

Catherine busied herself with shifting through the many racks of dresses. She would occasionally pull one out look at it, and then put it back. When she found one she liked, she would hand it to Yashiro who held the growing pile. With about ten dresses picked out, she guided him to an open area where she could spread them out. Taking off her trench coat, she laid it on one of the chairs set aside for waiting patrons. She pulled a brass pin out of one of the pockets and pulled her hair up into a quick, yet elegant, twist so that it was out of the way. Before he could stop himself, Yashiro's eyes ran across the bared skin of her shoulders. The creamy expanse was broken only by the thin straps of her tight fitting top. His eyes stopped at the hairline on the nape of her neck and it was all he could do not to reach out to touch the short soft hairs there.

"Can I help you?" a clerk walked up to the pair as Catherine was arranging the dresses on some racks near the dressing room. Her approach snapped Yashiro back to his right mind.

"Not at the moment, but as soon as I find what we need, I will let you know." Catherine waved the clerk off so that she could better inspect the dresses she had picked. They were all Kyoko's size but she did not know what style the young woman would look the best in. "So, Yashiro-san, which one do you think would be best for our young friend?" Yashiro cleared his throat and shifted his mind to the problem at hand. He was getting to pick out Kyoko's dress for her date for Ren. This made him giddy in a different way. He looked over all of the dresses Catherine has picked. They are all things that Kyoko would like and look good in.

"Well, we have to consider the venue. Do you know what charity this is for?" He turned to Catherine. She pulled out the invitations and showed it to him. "Looks like it will be a dinner event with possible dancing." Yashiro pointed to a pink princess style gown that Kyoko would have LOVED. "That one is out." Then he pointed to a short black strapless dress that would have killed Ren. "So is that one." The two went back and forth ruling out dresses for different reasons till two were left. One was a beautiful satin gown that was held up by spaghetti straps. The material gather slightly across the chest before fall in a flowing line to the floor. It was a two tone silvery blue that transitioned from dark to light and back to dark. It was Catherine's favorite. Yashiro picked a deep purple gown with a modest neckline held in place by spaghetti straps. There was a short half-coat that could be worn over it. The material would hug the body tightly across the chest before falling gracefully to the hemline that tapered from a point over the left knee to mid-calf in the back. It was very elegant. After a few minutes of argument, Yashiro called the clerk over for her opinion. Catherine had to give in when she sided with Yashiro.

"What are you going to wear?" Yashiro looked back into the store for more dress ideas.

"I'm not sure yet." Catherine walked back into the racks to find something that she could wear. This time Yashiro followed and helped by pulling out dresses that were so inappropriate they were both laughing by the time they found a few that would be nice. Catherine had been more picky when her dress was involved so there were fewer then she had with Kyoko. Yashiro had pulled two that he claimed would be perfect, Catherine was not so sure about them.

"You need to try all of these on so that we can pick." Yashiro helped to arrange the dresses on the rack next to the fitting rooms.

"You think I am going to model these for you?" Catherine chortled at him. "I can pick my own dress thank you very much." She reached for the first dress. Yashiro grabbed her wrist before she was able to pick it up. Shocked by the action, she looked at the hand restraining her, and looked at the man it belonged to. He peered over his glasses at her and cast his voice slightly lower than normal.

"Please." She felt her pulse race from the heat in his eyes. It only took that look and one word for her resolved to crumble. She blushed slightly and nodded her head. Yashiro released her arm and she retreated to the changing room with the first dress. Yashiro went to sit in the chair next to Catherine's coat. 'What was that?' she shook slightly as she changed into the dress. 'Must calm down.' She chided herself as she forced her breathing to even out. Once changed and calm, she stepped out to show off the dress.

"How's this look?" She stepped out and turned so that the mirrors could show all of the dress to her waiting companion. Yashiro looked up and stared. She examined herself in the mirrors, shook her head, and picked up the next dress before Yashiro could say anything. It was lovely, but it just was not her.

Yashiro looked up from his chair at the sound of Catherine's call and froze at the sight. The way she swirled the skirt in front of the mirrors made his pulse race. Before he could find his voice, she shook her head and returned to the changing room with a new dress. He had not expected to have such a reaction to this intriguing woman. He decided that the next twenty minutes were going to be the longest he would have to sit through in a long time. He heard the lock slide open and prepared himself for the next onslaught.

"What about this one?" Catherine stepped into the area surrounded by mirrors. She liked this one better, but was not sure of the color. It blanched her out somewhat. She could see Yashiro in the mirror just admiring her. She turned to look at him properly. She could tell he did not like it from the look on his face and picked up the next dress to try on.

Yashiro gripped the arms of the chair when she came out the second time. He pondered as to why she had this power over him before actually looking at the dress she wore. She still looked lovely, but he did not like this dress on her, it made her color wrong. He didn't even need to say anything as she returned with the next dress. He was happy to see that she took one he had picked. This dress was a backless gown in a midnight blue. The top tied at the back of the neck with a fairly low neckline and hugged the body to the waist exposing her back. From there, it fell in gentle folds to the floor with a split up one side almost to the hip.

"Umm. Yashiro-san. Could you please come here for a moment?" Catherine called to her companion from the dressing room. Yashiro got up and went to the door that hid her.

"Do you need something?" He stood outside the room and wiped his hands on his pants nervously. He could not help but think about the fair skin that she would be showing in there. He almost passed out when the lock slid back and the door swung open. He stood staring at her naked back as she held up the front of the gown.

"I am having trouble tying this up, could you please lend me a hand?" She tilted her head forward and looked over her shoulder at him. The only thing holding the flimsy material up was her hand pressed to her chest. Fear, along with a few other deeper emotions flashed through his mind as he laid his hands on the ties hanging over her shoulders. He slowly drew them up and tied them gently around the back of her neck. She pulled her hand away from her chest just to put it back. "Could you please make it a little tighter?" Yashiro swallowed hard and untied the cloth at the back of her neck. He was very aware of every time their skin met. Once it was tied back, he placed both of his hands gently on the back of her neck where the material laid pretending to smooth the cloth down. He just really wanted to touch her at that moment. He slid his hands across her shoulders and down her arms. He could feel her draw in a deep breath as he turned her around and wrapped one arm around her. Her bare skin was smooth and warm under his hand. He used the other hand to raise her face and leaned down until their lips met in a soft kiss. He pulled back to see the heat blossom in her eyes. He melted as she wrapped her arms up across his back pressing against him. He pulled her closer and kissed her more passionately…

"Are you alright, Yashiro-san?" Catherine's voice cut into his daydream. He looked down to see that his hands had not moved from where he had smoothed the soft material down. He quickly removed his hands from the neck in front of him. Catherine turned to look at him in concern. 'Was he feeling ok?' She reached up and slid her hand under his bangs against his forehead. 'He is a little flushed, but he doesn't have a fever.'

"I'm alright." He reassured her as he took her hand from his forehead. "Let's see how you look in this dress." He led her by the hand to the mirrored area. She turned left and right looking at the way the dress fell. It was a good color and it felt right. Yashiro, having retreated to the safety of the chairs, tried not to look at her for the moment, but she had not notice his strange reaction.

"What do you think?" she turned to the man behind her. He seemed to be very interested in something on the wall. He turned and took in the full view of her.

"It suits you very nicely." Yashiro replied to her. He was busy trying to clear his mind of the rampant images of the material crumpled on the floor.

"Very well, if you think it is nice, then I shall get this one." She turned to go back to get dressed again. She stopped before walking into the room. "Umm... could you please untie me?" She looked over at where Yashiro had not moved from. He stepped over and pulled gently on the fabric till it gave. Once loose he backed quickly away to where her coat was on the chair. She watched his withdraw with concern. She was sure there was something up with him, but could not figure out what it was. As she walked back to her dressing room, she thought she could feel his eyes on her. Maybe it was the way his fingers had lingered on her skin. She could still feel the heat from his palms on her neck. A thought crossed her mind and she blushed. She didn't think she would have such an effect on the man, but it was a possibility. This 'date' was going to be more interesting than she originally thought.

Once changed, Catherine picked out a pair of heels to match Kyoko's dress and took them to the counter. Yashiro had picked up her coat and was carrying the surprisingly heavy thing over his arm. He watched as she used a LME card to pay for the dresses before taking her coat back and slipping into it as the clerk finalized the transaction. Yashiro took the bagged dresses before Catherine could.

"Thank you." Catherine walked out while Yashiro followed silently. "Let's take these to the other shop so they can match the colors." Once that was done, she turned to her pensive companion. Apparently, he was struggling with himself about something. "Do we have time for one more stop today?" She asked, breaking into his thoughts. Yashiro looked at his watch.

"Well, we should have about another hour before they are done." Yashiro answered his companion. "What did you have in mind?"

"Every good dress needs accessories." She laughed before turning to the nearest jewelry store. It didn't take her long to find the perfect pieces for Kyoko's dress. A gold and dark amethyst set; a necklace, ear rings, a bracelet, and a simple gold anklet. It was simple yet elegant and would set the dress off magnificently. She had the clerk pull it out for a closer look. "What do you think about this set for Kyoko?" She called Yashiro over to her.

"Yes, that will be perfect." Yashiro touched the gold anklet. Catherine asked the clerk to wrap it up for her. "I think I found one that would be wonderful for you Kat-san." Yashiro pulled Catherine to another case filled with silver pieces and pointed to a collection. The clerk pulled this set out so they could inspect it better. Catherine picked up one of the ear rings and rolled it between her finders. They were upside down calla lilies. The stem ran up and through the ear forming the hook. A single sapphire bead rested in the center of the rolled petal. The necklace had a single slightly larger version of the same flower. The bracelet had ten smaller versions of the flower space down its length. The anklet was a simple herring bone band. It really did not go with the set, but it was a great addition.

"I will take the ear rings and necklace from this set." The clerk picked up the pieces she had chosen and put the rest back. Yashiro looked at the bracelet and anklet left on the board.

"Why not the whole set like with Kyoko's?" He asked as she turned to walk away. She looked at him.

"Well, I am getting these, personally, so Kyoko can keep them when this is all over." Catherine explained. "The rest of those will put me over my budget." She turned and went over to the counter to pay for her choices. Yashiro looked at the lonely pieces behind the glass. He looked up at Catherine as she pulled a large roll of bills from her pocket and gave most of them to the clerk. With their bags in hand, the pair walked out of the store. After a few shop faces Yashiro stopped. "What's wrong?" Catherine asked. He handed the dresses over to her.

"I left the shoes sitting on the counter in the jewelry shop." Yashiro turned to retrieve the forgotten item. "Head to the car and I will be right there." He called over his shoulder. Catherine laughed at the man as she turned and found her way to the car. It was not long after she had settled her bags in the trunk that Yashiro showed up with the forgotten package. "Sorry about that." He added the lost box to the pile in the trunk.

"At least you remembered where it was left." Catherine smiled as she shut the trunk. "It would have been bad if we lost the shoes." Yashiro agreed and got into the car. Before long, they arrived back at the studio. The packages were left in the trunk as the two walked inside together. "I don't know why the president has not told you, but he said he changed your schedule for tomorrow so make sure to check your email." Catherine stopped as she thought of something. "I will pick up the suits tomorrow and have them ready for you at LME." The two chatted casually as they walked back to the set.

**Author's note:** Thanks for sticking with me so far, I promise more havoc is coming. On a more personal note, when I started this story, I never intended for anything to start up between Catherine and Yashiro, but I figured the guy needed a little love too. He always gets paired with either Kanae or Shoko. I love reading these stories, but I always felt they were a bit off. Kanae has Uesugi Hiou (even if he is younger then she is) and I just can't bring myself to see him getting together with Sho's manager. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.


	16. Chapter 16

Here is the next chapter. If there is anything that sticks out, please let me know.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Ren let his character slip away when the director called cut, he turned and thanked his fellow actors for a wonderful take. His eyes stopped when they landed on his heart's desire as she was congratulating the other actors as well. He smiled softly at her gentle moves before he realized where he was. Quickly putting his mask back on, he looked around for the presence that had been missing today. Once he spied the guilty party, he headed over to give the miscreant a piece of his mind. What was that woman thinking, running off with his manager like that! He slipped into his best gentleman's smile before they saw him walking their way. Kyoko noticed the change in atmosphere and looked up to see Ren heading towards the managers that had just returned. She could tell from the way he was moving that he was mad. She finished her conversation and stepped quickly to catch up with him. She stayed just behind him, she was curious as to what was going on, but didn't want to be in the direct line of fire.

"I see you made it back." Ren smiled as he came up to the pair talking. Both Yashiro and Catherine froze from the brightness of his smile. "Did everything go well?" Yashiro grimaced and shivered in horror at the arrival of the Dark Lord. Catherine turned to face the tall man.

"Thank you for the use of your manager." Catherine bowed to Ren. "His insight was invaluable. I apologize for any inconvenience his absence may have caused you today." Ren was surprised by Catherine's quick admittance of wrong doing. It was almost enough to blow his anger with her away.

"It's ok. We managed without him during the shoot." Ren recomposed his thoughts. He wanted answers and an apology was not going to get her off the hook. "So where did you go?" Catherine's eyes grew very serious. She looked around at the actors and crew still hanging around the set.

"That is a conversation best held behind closed doors." Catherine smiled at him crypticly. "If you would like to invite us to your dressing room, I would be happy to explain." Ren was taken aback by that statement. His curiosity was burning. 'Where could they have gone that could not be discussed here?'

"Very well, would you please join me?" Ren asked as he held his hand out towards the dressing rooms.

"No." Catherine answers deadpan. Then she smiled. "I would be happy to meet with you and Yashiro after Kyoko has had a change to change." Ren's head turned to discover his kohai standing next to him. "I would like her to be there too. Since this matter does concern her as well." Ren replaced his gentleman's smile while turning back to the woman in front of him.

"Wonderful, please come when you are ready." Ren went to change himself. Yashiro slowly unfroze and followed the taller man. He really didn't want to be in a room alone with him, but he could not go with the girls. Catherine turned to where Kyoko was rooted.

"Come on, the sooner you get changed, the sooner we can get this over with." Catherine walked to Kyoko and gentle took her by the arm and pulled her to her dressing room.

About 15 minutes later, a knock sounded on Ren's dressing room door. Yashiro opened it to find the two ladies dressed and ready to discuss the day's activities. He showed them in while Ren finished hanging up his wardrobe before turning to greet the two women.

"Please pardon our intrusion." Catherine said politely to both men.

"Please come in." Ren responded in turn. "Have a seat." Ren motioned to the couch. Kyoko went and sat on it. Catherine looked around before she hooked one of the chairs from the makeup counter with her foot, spun it around, and straddled it. She folded her arms on the back. Ren was amused by her antics and leaned against the counter with his arms crossed. Yashiro tried to make himself inconspicuous and took a seat on the couch with Kyoko. Catherine rested her chin on her crossed arms and looked at the group. They were all expecting answers from her. She sighed, sat up, and pulled the tickets and invitation from her left inside breast pocket. She left the envelope with Lory's name on it in the pocket before holding them out for Ren to take. With a confused expression, he unfolded himself and retrieved the offered items. Ren looked at the tickets, then the invitation, then at the woman resting in the chair.

"What is this?" he asked as he read the invitation.

"Our activities for tomorrow night." Catherine sighed. Kyoko looked at the papers in Ren's hands; she couldn't tell what the five sheets were. They looked to be thick embossed paper with gold printing on them, so it must be something extravagant. Ren read over the papers a second time.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ren was confused. He could not go to a high profile function; he had work scheduled for tomorrow evening. Catherine held out her hand for the papers. Ren returned them and she passed them to Kyoko's eager hands. "Well." He asked again impatiently. Catherine took a deep breath to steady herself for this task.

"In light of all the bad press that has surrounded Kyoko, it was decided that she needed to be seen in public to show she was in good spirits." Catherine glanced at Kyoko. The girl hung her head in embarrassment. "So, Lory acquired these tickets for a party that he would not be able to attend." Catherine paused to see how they would take this news. Kyoko blushed harder, Ren stood in shock, and Yashiro sat very still trying not to be noticed. Ren crossed his arms again as he thought about the possibilities.

"Ok. That makes good sense. So why are we going?" He waves his hand between himself and his manager. Catherine sat up and gave him a horrified expression and gasp. She placed her hand dramatically on her chest, fingers spread and elbow stuck out in obviously faked shock.

"You mean to tell me that you would let two ladies go to such a function unattended?" Catherine grasped the back of the chair with the fingers tips of her left hand and leaned back pulling against it, raising the back of her right hand to her forehead in a faked swoon pose. "Who knows what kind of nardowells and rapscallions two defenseless girls may encounter while alone." Kyoko giggled at her manager's over acting. Ren could not help but smiled at the over dramatic woman. Yashiro watched the show with delight. Catherine dropped her hand from her head to the back of the chair and leaned back more. "Personally I would prefer to have a knight by my side then wind up as a damsel in distress. How about you, Kyoko-chan?" Catherine turned her eyes to see the younger woman blushing furiously at the thought of her respected senpai as a knight. "But seriously." Catherine dropped the act and turned to the tall man. "Takarada-san thought it would be best if we were accompanied by someone. Since I didn't know anyone else in Japan, your names were chosen." Ren looked skeptical at the information. He was sure the president had plan this to get him and Kyoko together, but he could see the point being made. It would be wrong to let the two ladies go unescorted. He blew out his breath in defeat, the president won this round.

"I see your point." Ren shook his head as he stood up. "I assume that all the arrangements have been already made?" Catherine nodded. "Then, I would be happy to accompany Mogami-san to this function tomorrow." At that moment a loud squee issued from Yashiro as his fan girl mode kicked in. Kyoko also issued a string of refusals to this idea. How could she presume to take her respected senpai away from his work? Ren smiled brightly at the pair. This brought them both to a screeching halt. "Now Mogami-san, if you don't want me along, I will not come. But Saunders-san is right. It would be improper for me to neglect ladies in need." Kyoko blanched at this idea.

"No. It's not that I don't want you to come," Kyoko rambled on before she realized what she was saying. "It's just that…" then her words sunk in. She tried to correct her statement. "It not that I want you to come, it's just that I'm not opposed to you going, I mean if you want to come, your company would be welcomed…" Kyoko rambled on digging herself in deeper with each passing word. Ren smiled softly while she turned redder and redder as she went on. Ren cleared his throat. Kyoko stopped and looked up at him.

"Mogami-san, Kat-san has already made arrangements for this function." Catherine nodded at his statement. "Do you want her hard work to go to waste?" The blush drained from her face as she turned to look at her manager. Catherine tilted her head and smiled sweetly at her.

"Of course not! But…" Kyoko began only to be cut off by Ren.

"Then there is no need for discussion." Ren started to gather his things to leave. He turned to Yashiro. "Do you have a new schedule for tomorrow?"

"The president should be emailing him your schedule this evening." Catherine answered before Yashiro could respond. The men both looked at her. "There will be a limo to take us over from LME. I don't know what time they will pick us up yet, but I will let Yashiro-san know as soon as I have that information."

"Alright." Ren held his script and keys ready to go. Yashiro stood and gathered his things into his bag. Kyoko stood and held the invitation out for Catherine to take. Catherine took the paper and returned it to her pocket before popping up from the chair and swinging it back to the counter. "We will see you tomorrow then." Farewells were made and the party separated to continue with the rest of their day.

Ren was quite as he made his way to the car. He was both happy and pissed about the whole affair. He was going to spend an entire evening with his heart's desire, but it would have been nice to have been in on the planning. He was going to have to give that crazy man a piece of his mind the next time he saw him. He sighed in defeat. He could not stay mad at Lory for giving him this opportunity. Once the car was safely on its way, Ren glanced at his manager working on his schedule.

"You went shopping with her for tomorrow?" Yashiro pulled his head out of his planer and nodded at Ren.

"Don't worry." Yashiro closed the book. His eyes lit up as he slipped into fan girl mode "She will look absolutely amazing!" Ren chuckled lightly at his manager's antics.

"You know, he set you up with Saunders-san." Ren poked. Yashiro sobered up slightly at his words. His hand dropped to his coat pocket.

"Tomorrow is definitely going to be an interesting day." A hint of a smile curled the corners of Yashiro's lips.


	17. Chapter 17

Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Catherine's day started early the next morning. By the time she picked Kyoko up from The Darumaya, she had already picked up Ren and Yashiro's outfits, talked with the transportation section of LME about the Limo, and spoken with Jelly Woods about Kyoko and her makeup for the evening. The president had asked his magician to come help the women prepare. Catherine's excitement was contagious and it took no time for Kyoko to get keyed up about the event. They spent the morning running the usual LoveMe jobs and chatting about what the evening could bring.

At lunch time, Catherine declared that they needed to go shopping. After getting changed the two happy girls bundled into Catherine's car for a spree. Kyoko was excited, she had not gone shopping with anyone but Kanae and daydreamed about the fun the girls would have trying on dresses for the party. She blindly followed her manager as she led the way from the car to the shops. Catherine opened a door and ushered her charger inside a store. Kyoko blushed when she came out of her daydream to see that she had been lead into a Victoria's Secret. She froze at the sight of the rack of baby doll nightgowns place directly in front of her. Catherine looked to see what made Kyoko stop. She walked over and caressed the lavish mixture of lavender silk and organza that made up the intimate item.

"It's nice." She picked it up and, to Kyoko's horror, held it up so she could see how it would look on the young actress. "I think it would look good on you." Kyoko blushed harder and took the item away from her manager.

"What are you doing?" Kyoko hiss at her as she shoved the article back on the rack as if she would could erase her manager's actions. Catherine was giggling at the young woman's embarrassment. Kyoko tried to pull the larger woman out of the store. Catherine tugged back and led the reddened woman farther into the store.

"We are her to get ready for the event tonight." Catherine walked past more racks of skimpy sleepwear. She walked through the partition that led to the more intimate items in the store. "We need to get the appropriate items to wear with our dresses, unless you feel like going without proper undergarments?" Kyoko blushed at the manager's suggestion and shook her head franticly. Catherine looked around till she found what she wanted. She found a black satin strapless bra that would work nicely for Kyoko's dress. She handed it to the young woman and told her to try it on. Out of nowhere, a clerk came over to show Kyoko to the dressing room. Catherine proceeded to pick out matching pair of satin underwear that she was sure would be comfortable.

Once fitted, the shy girl came back and nodded her head. Catherine took this to mean that the bra fit. She handed the panties to the young woman to hold. She then picked out a black garter belt and silk stockings to match. Kyoko held the items as if they were going to bite her. Why did she need such fancy undergarments? Catherine smiled at her reaction. After picking out similar items for herself, the older woman called the clerk back over and asked about backless bras. Kyoko took the few minutes that Catherine was busy to look around the store at the intimate apparel. Kyoko starting to feel less embarrassed about the shopping trip. Catherine saw the younger girl looking around and laughed. She went to the young woman and took her items and added them to the collection on counter where the clerk was ringing them up. Kyoko started to protest when Catherine handed the clerk her credit card, but was cut off when her manager raised her hand. Once the shopping was done, Catherine led her out of the store with two bags.

"I think it is now time for lunch." Catherine led the way to a trendy shop and found a seat on the patio.

"Um, shouldn't we go inside?" Kyoko looked around. She had seen some of the paparazzi that had been plaguing her. Catherine looked at the people taking pictures.

"It's too nice of a day to go inside. Anyway, this entire evening is to show that you are unaffected by the poor press you've been receiving. So we are going to have a nice lunch out on the town. Just like normal people do." Catherine smiled at her. "Don't worry. If there are any problems, I will take care of them." Kyoko understood and decided to enjoy the lunch out. She had not eaten outside of home or LME for a while. They enjoyed a nice lunch with only a few pleasant interruptions. True to her word, Catherine handled each fan that recognized Kyoko or wanted an autograph. After lunch they walked back to the car. It was the most pleasant outing that Kyoko had in a long time. "See, now aren't you glad that we went?"

"Yes, that was a lot of fun." Kyoko settled herself in the car as Catherine packed the bags into the trunk.

"Today is about to get even better." Catherine smiled as she settled in for the drive back.

It did not take long to get back to LME where things were waiting for them. It was now around 2 o'clock, and they needed to start getting ready if they were going to get to the function on time. The president had provided rooms for the ladies to use to prepare for the benefit. The girl's dresses had been cleaned and were set out for their owner's arrival. The president had gone through the trouble of providing manikins to make the dress presentation more dramatic. Kyoko gasped as her eyes fell on the elegant gowns waiting for them. She walked to the dark blue dress and touched the soft material. The then turned to the deep purple one. Her face lit up as she took in the delicate cut. Catherine laughed lightly and walked to the two dresses.

"That one is yours." Catherine pointed to the purple dress and placed one of the bags from their shopping by the base. She placed the other bag next to the other dress. "Let me know if you need any help with those." Kyoko blushed at the woman's words. After stripping off her coat, Catherine led the way to the bathroom so they could get cleaned up before changing into the dresses. Kyoko marveled at the size of the president's bathroom before following her manager into the room to get clean. It was like walking into an indoor hot spring. The sitting pool looked as if it was made of natural rock and had a partition down the middle dividing the room in half. The wall looked like a fence, but did not reach the ceiling of the room. With just a little work, it would have been possible for Kyoko to see over the top railing. Kyoko had not seen this room in all the time she had been working in LoveMe, and she had seen most of the building. After washing, the two women sat in the hot water and relaxed. It was the addition of familiar male voices that interrupted their bath. Both girls looked at each other in horror.

"When did the president add this room?" Ren's voice echoed across the water.

"I don't know. This used to be his ballroom." Yashiro replied as he walked to the washing area. Kyoko screeched and dropped down in the water and tried to hide. She could not see the boys, but they were in the same room with her naked. Both of the men froze as they looked around for the source of the girlish scream. They both stared at the partition dividing the room.

"Hello?" Ren called out to the unseen side of the room. Kyoko blushed and dunked deeper into the water. Catherine steadied herself and called back.

"Good afternoon, Tesuruga-san, Yashiro-san." Catherine called to the guys as she located her towel behind her.

"Saunders-san?" Ren asked as he recognized the voice calling back to him.

"Yes, and Kyoko-chan is with me also." Catherine relaxed now that she knew why the fence was in the middle of the room. Both the men and women shared the same pool, but were divided by the barrier. Yashiro switched into fan girl mode as this fact. The president put them all in the same room naked. Ren's mind froze at the idea of his love just on the other side of the wall, vulnerable. He shook his head and pushed back the desire to peek over the wall. Yashiro was not helping when he snickered and draped his towel over his head in true peeping tom fashion. Ren glared at him. Catherine looked at the hiding girl and smiled evilly.

"Kyoko just suggested that you come and join us." Catherine called to the men on the other side of the room. Both men frozen, wide eyed, at the sound of Catherine's suggestion. They looked at each other in disbelief. She grinned at the girl as the color drained from her face before she blushed to even darker shade of red again. She launched herself at the teasing woman and pushed her under the water.

"NO I DID NOT! DON'T COME OVER HERE!" Kyoko yelled back in horror. Catherine came up for air laughing as Kyoko tried to drown her again. The men relaxed and let out the breath that they had been holding. Catherine caught a hold on the frantic girl and finished giggling at her charge.

"Ok, Ok." Catherine released the still girl as she huffed down into the water with her arms crossed.

"That was not very nice." Kyoko grumped at her, forgetting the men for a moment. They were still frozen listening to the woman goofing around.

"I am sorry, Kyoko." Catherine sighed. It had been too much of a good opportunity to pass up. "I think it is time we go and get ready. That way our gentlemen can take their baths in peace." Kyoko blushed again when she was reminded of the people on the other side of the wall. "See you guy later." Catherine called as she got out and wrapped herself in her towel. Kyoko quickly followed, bidding the men a hasty farewell. The boys were too stunned to reply. Ren was going to string up the president the next time he saw them. For the rest of their bath, Yashiro teased Ren about the close encounter with his love.


	18. Chapter 18

I am having way too much fun with this section so I thought I would share more as soon as I got it together. I hope you like it. I am doing these a little faster than normal, so if you see anything that needs fixing, please let me know. Thanks.

**Note: I don't own Skip Beat!**

Catherine and Kyoko got over the little embarrassment in the bathroom quickly. After another apology from Catherine, Kyoko was better. She did not want to stay mad at her friend when they were both looking forwards to the party tonight. Catherine had no problems with her undergarments and had just started pulling her dress on when Kyoko called to her. She turned to see the younger woman standing in the lingerie and stockings.

"Umm… how do I keep these up?" She was holding up the top of the silk stockings. Catherine pushed down her mirth as she pulled the garter belt from Kyoko's bag. She wrapped the garment around the young woman's waist and showed her how to fasten the straps to hold the stockings in place. After helping her adjust the straps to fit, Kyoko turned around to inspect their work.

"What do you think?" Catherine asked as she pulled on her dress.

"Interesting." Kyoko blushed as she noticed Catherine studying her in the mirror. Pushed by the growing awareness of her lack of covering, Kyoko hurried over to her dress and slipped into it. Catherine zips up the back for her before holding out the short jacket for Kyoko to put on. Catherine drops the missing shoes on the ground next to Kyoko so that she can step into them. Once on, she admired her reflection in the full length mirror. The dress fit perfectly and set off her slender figure. The young woman spun in front of the mirror taking in the full effect. Her eyes lit up as she felt like a princess waiting for her prince. A light blush rushed over the young woman's cheeks as an image of her escort for the night flooded her brain. Her mind had forced Japan's sexiest man into a doublet on a white rearing charger. 'How could she do that to her most respected senpai! He would be furious to see how she thought of him! And why wasn't he wearing a shirt under that partially open doublet?' Kyoko reprimanded herself as she crumpled to the floor. Catherine was shocked when Kyoko dropped to the ground and hid her beet red face in the crook of her elbow while she pounded her other fist into the carpet. Sure that her charge was having some kind of a fit; Catherine rushed over to her and pulled her over to her back.

"Kyoko-chan!" Catherine's startled voice broke into the distressed girl's mental chiding. "Are you alright?" Kyoko had stopped her flailing and relaxed on the floor. She could see the concern that Catherine felt for her wellbeing and felt guilty for causing her manager distress. She pulled herself into a sitting position before dropping into a full dogeze bow to apologize for her antics. Recognizing this position Catherine lifted the smaller girl to her feet. "It you're not hurt, get up before you rumple your dress." This prompted Kyoko to straighten up, but it was another few minutes before Catherine could convince her to end the string of apologies. "Now what was that about?" Her manager's question brought the image that had caused the problem flooding back into her mind and the two spent ten more minutes repeating what had just happened.

Having calmed down from the second attack, Catherine decided not to inquire about the fit again and went back to trying to get her dress to stay where it was supposed to. Surprisingly, the material of Kyoko's dress has survived its encounter with Kyoko's delusions unscathed. Trying to clear her mind, Kyoko watched her manager as she messed with the tie on her dress. She marveled at how sexy the older woman was in the dark material.

"These are wonderful dresses. Thank you." Kyoko bowed to her manager.

"Oh please don't thank me. Yashiro-san picked them both out." Catherine gave out a sigh and turned to show Kyoko her back. "Could you please help?" She indicated the loose material at her neck.

"Sure." Kyoko stepped up and pulled the stubborn material into place as Catherine held her hair out of the way. Catherine thanked her and looked in the mirror to check that everything was in place. Their attention was pulled away from the mirror as Jelly Woods knocked on the dressing room door.

"Good evening Mr. Woods." Catherine greeted the small woman. She huffed at the formality.

"Please call me Jelly." She looked at both of the ladies she was here to prepare. "You both look wonderful. If you are ready, we can get started." Kyoko turned to head out.

"Just wait one more moment." Catherine's words halted their exit. The manager pulled a velvet box from the last bag and handed it to the waiting actress. "Here, a finishing touch." Kyoko opened the box to reveal a gold and dark amethyst jewelry set. Jelly made appreciative noises as she looked over Kyoko's shoulder at the set. Kyoko almost cried as she touched the delicate chain. "It's yours, so enjoy it." Catherine pulled another box from the same bag and waved the stilled actress out of the room. "We need to finish getting ready."

"Yes, we don't have a lot of time till you have to leave." Jelly pulled Kyoko behind her into her makeup room. Catherine helped Kyoko put on the jewelry as Jelly tended to her hair and makeup. She styled the girls short hair in a windswept look that accented her natural beauty. The makeup was light, but set off her amber eyes. Catherine had already attached her flower shaped necklace and earrings before Jelly finished with Kyoko. They switched places and Jelly set to work on Catherine's hair, choosing an elegant twist held in place by a single brass pin the Catherine supplied. Jelly left enough strands loose to soften the hairline and help hide the scar on the woman's temple. Her makeup was heaver then Kyoko's, yet was still elegant. Jelly took care to cover the yellowing bruise on Catherine's arm. Now that the two ladies were ready, Jelly led the way to the president's office. They stopped in in the dressing room long enough to gather the things that they would need for the evening in the clutch purses that the president had found to match the dresses. The rest of the clothing had already been packed away into bags. Once they reached the hall outside the office door, Jelly had them wait as she went in.

The office door swung open as Jelly walked in and the three men stood awaiting the arrival of the girls. Jelly walked over and kissed Lory on the cheek before sitting herself on the desk.

"Well." Lory asked as he returned the affection to his makeup artist.

"Take a look." Jelly gestured towards the corridor. All attention focused on the open door as Catherine took her cue to send Kyoko in first. Ren's heart stopped as he watched the beautiful girl walk into the room. The gold anklet flashed as she moved across the carpet. He stood up and went to the beauty making his heart race.

Kyoko's mind went blank as the handsome actor closed on her. Her grudges ran screaming as they tried to escape the heat from the wanton look on his face. The smile he gave her when they met made her knees go weak and a few more locks on her box shattered to dust. A light blush crept up Kyoko skin as she lost herself in his deep brown eyes.

"You look magnificent this evening." Ren took her right hand with his and maneuvered his arm around her back so that his left hand came to rest on her hip, pulling her into the line of his body. It seemed a very intimate and protective way to hold the girl, but he didn't care at the moment. He just wanted to bring her as close to him as he dared. If she would have let him, he would have rolled her up in his arms and never let her go. He was so caught up in the object of his desire, that he completely missed the woman walking in behind Kyoko. Yashiro's fan girl mode kicked in as he watched his charge escort his date to the sofa. It was only after the squealing started that he saw the second woman that walk into the room. She had stopped just inside the door and watched the romantic gestures of the tall man. She waited till the couple has settled on the seat before making her way to the chairs. Yashiro was torn between watching the exchange between the reluctant lovers and the bombshell walking in. She came to stand behind the end of the couch that the flustered manager had been occupying.

"You look wonderful, too." Lory complemented the woman that Ren had forgotten. She smiled at the president and Yashiro blushed at his error. She was his date for the night, so it should have been him that paid her the complement. Ren came back to his senses and registered the older woman standing near the seating.

"Please forgive my rudeness." Ren attempted to correct his error. He was so wrapped up in Kyoko that he never noticed her approach. Catherine waved off his apology with an understanding look.

"You both look very nice tonight." Catherine paid her complement to the two men and they thanked her. The men's error had made the room a little uncomfortable. Catherine was not upset about their lack of attention, but they were embarrassed about it. Lorry could read the air and broke the uncomfortable silence that had descended on the room.

"Your limo should be waiting outside for you." Lory spoke to the group. "Please be good to each other tonight. And have a good time." They all agreed and stood to leave. "Catherine, you do have the invitation and tickets?" He reminded her. It would not be good for them to arrive without a way to get into the benefit. Catherine smiled at him and held up the purse containing the needed paperwork. Ren stood and helped Kyoko up. He placed the slightly blushing woman on his arm and led the way out. His heart sang at her gentle touch. Catherine turned to follow the pair out when she realized Yashiro was standing next to her.

"May I?" He offered his hand to her. She took his hand and smiled at the man. He curled her hand around his arm and followed the couple leading the way. Lory smiled as his projects left. He pushed a button on his desk and a bank of security monitors unfolded from the wall behind him. He watched with a sigh as the couples walked through the building. Jelly just shook her head and leaned against his chair.

"You think they will take the hint?" She asked the scheming man.

"We can only hope." He smiled sadly at the stubbornness of his targets.


	19. Chapter 20

Next chapter! It's so nice to have a day off… Please let me know if you see anything that need fixing.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

"You do look very nice tonight." Yashiro spoke softly to Catherine as they walked down the hall. He placed his free hand over her hand where she was touching his arm. She could feel the heat from his hand burning up her arm. She swallowed before responding to his comment.

"You had better like the way we are dressed." She teased the man next to her. "You picked out the dresses." He chuckled at her attempts to lighten the mood.

"This is true, but they say that it is the girl that makes the dress." Catherine blushed at his words and stammered a thank you. Yashiro smiled at the blushing woman and remembered the weight in his pocket. He pulled her to a stop and reached his hand into his pocket and withdrew the prepared item. "I have something for you." Catherine turned to look at him oddly; a present was the last thing she expected from this man she barely knew. He held the silver chain up so that she could see it. A small gasp escaped her as she recognized the bracelet that matched her necklace. He released the woman so that he could attach the row of flowers to her wrist.

"Yashiro-san, you really did not have to do that." She looked at the silver clinging to her wrist; it was still warm from his pocket.

"Well, I couldn't just leave it without its mates." Yashiro took Catherine's arm again and resumed walking down the hall. "Anyway, you did so much for the rest of us, someone needed to do something nice for you."

"Thank you. It's lovely." Catherine admired the bracelet where it laid against the sleeve of Yashiro's coat. She did not know what else to say to the man next to her. Her heart was beating strangely in his presence. It was not long until they joined Ren and Kyoko at the elevator. Yashiro's mind was starting to short circuit. He did not know if he should squee at the cute couple in front of them, or if he should put his full attention to the ravishing creature next to him. Her light blush made his heart beat harder. It was doubly hard for him when they all stepped into the elevator. The girls removed themselves from their date's arms to stand at the back together. He kept switching from Ren's face, to Kyoko, to Catherine, and back.

Kyoko was overwhelmed by Ren in his suit. It fit him perfectly and he smelled warm and inviting. That intoxicating scent had hit her when he first came up to her in Lory's office. She had not been able to shake it off since. She kept trying to put distance between them so she could think, but Ren never gave her an excuse to get away. Kyoko's grudges were running around screaming about bright lights while her angels were trying to rein them in. She was so confused that she took shelter by the older woman for the ride to the lower floor hoping to clear her head. Catherine smiled in amusement at the conflict she could read in the younger woman. She could tell that the tall man really did love her. He could not keep his eyes off her. Even here in the elevator, he kept watching her in the reflective surface of the door.

Heads turned when the elevator doors opened and the four occupants spilled out. It was still early in the evening and the lobby was filled with people going home. Just the sight of Ren, in his formal wear, leading the group was enough to send the girls around into frenzy. Yashiro automatically took up his position of protector on one side. It was worst when Kyoko stepped off and took Ren's offered arm. More people turned to see what was going on. Catherine took up her position on the opposite side of pair. The posture and glares from the two well-dressed managers was enough to keep the watchers back, but a crowd had formed to watch the celebrities walking out.

It wasn't long until they arrived at the long black limo the president had arranged for the group. Ren settled Kyoko into the large vehicle. He insisted on helping Catherine into the same side while Yashiro held off the onlookers. Yashiro shut the door behind her and followed Ren to the other side of the car to get in. The backseat could only seat three comfortable so Catherine had chosen to sit on the seat along the side of the car. Yashiro was disappointed that he was unable to sit next to the woman, so he took the seat opposite her, leaving Ren and Kyoko on the back seat together. Once settled, Catherine called to the driver that they were ready. Catherine sat with her ankles crossed under the seat and hands folded on her purse in her lap. The silver of the new bracelet against the dark material caught Kyoko's eye.

"What's that? " Kyoko leaned forwards to get a better view of the delicate item. Catherine raised her hand so that she could see it better. Kyoko reached out and gently rolled one of the small flowers between her fingers. "I don't remember you having a bracelet. It's beautiful." Kyoko relinquished the charm and leaned back into her seat.

"I didn't." Catherine confessed. "Yashiro-san gave it to me on the way down." Catherine blushed and tried to hide behind the loose strands of hair. Yashiro had been watching the exchange with gentle eyes. When his name was mentioned Ren and Kyoko looked to him. He coughed in nervousness and cleared his throat.

"Umm… Well, when Kat-san got the sets, she forgot that piece. I couldn't just let it go." He blushed a little and turned his attention to the ceiling for a good inspection. Catherine was still inspecting the floor. Both Ren and Kyoko looked between the blushing managers in surprise. Ren gave Kyoko a small mischievous smile that she returned. Ren was just about to say something to exasperate the situation, but was interrupted when the driver called back to them that they has arrived. Catherine and Yashiro pulled themselves together and got ready to go to work. The driver opened the door on the men's side and they got out. Yashiro led the way so that he could take care of any wayward fans. By the look of the onlookers, this was tuning out to be a high profile event with lots of press.

Cheers when up when the group recognized Japan's leading actor had turned out to support the cause. They were even more surprised when he opened the door to escort a lady out. Ren was known for going to events by himself so the reporters were in a frenzy to see who the lucky girl would be. The camera flashes were blinding as the auburn haired girl stepped out of the limo. The crowd quieted as they tried to identify the beauty on the tall man's arm. It only took a moment before someone yelled Kyoko's name. Yashiro had started to help Catherine out when things erupted behind him. His attention was dragged from the woman at his hands to the swarm pressing in on the actors.

"GO HELP THEM!" Catherine yelled at the torn manager as she smacked his hand away. Yashiro looked at her for a second before abandoning her for the troubled actors behind him. When the crowd rushed in on them, Ren had swept his beloved kohai from his side into the circle of his arms and was doing his best to protect her from being crushed. The security had not expected the crowd to be so wild and had neglected to set up barricades. Seeing the tender way the tall actor held the young girl, the reporters pressed in harder on the pair yelling questions. Even Yashiro was having trouble subduing them. Catherine helped herself out of the car and sauntered into the group. After a few moments of pushing and glares, the two managers were able to free some space around the distressed actors and Catherine made a statement for the crowd.

"Excuse me." She started, but no one heard her. She got louder so that she could be heard. "Excuse me!" When this did not work, she switched to English. "EXCUSE ME!" This drew everyone's attention and they paused in their questions. "Thank you." She returned to Japanese. "We are here today as representative for LME to provide our support to the victims of the disaster. Any other questions should be addresses to the LME agency. I am sure they would be happy to give you the answers you are looking for." This put an end to most of the jostling and questions. It also gave the security a chance to make a way for the arriving actors. There was still the odd question about Ren escorting Kyoko, but these remained unanswered as Ren and Kyoko escaped to the safety of the building. Yashiro stepped over to where Catherine was still shaking off the press and place his hand on her lower back, pulling her attention to her.

"We need to be moving too." He indicated where the other pair had almost reached the door. He guided her along with only the hand on her back. She could feel the pressure of his hand on her bare skin. It was like every cell that he was touching danced under his warmth. As they approached the steps into the building, Yashiro held out his open hand for her. She took it in hers and let him help her up the steps. "That was a nice job back there." Yashiro leaned in to speak to her softly.

Kyoko and Ren paused at the top of the steps and turned to see where the rest of their party was. Catherine still had all the tickets with her. Now that they were safe, Kyoko extracted herself from the protective arms of the tall actors as they waited for the lagging managers to catch up. Ren was not happy about letting her go, but they were out of danger so he let her have her space. Ren found the missing pair and smiled at them as Yashiro propel Catherine with a well-placed hand. He watched Yashiro extend the other hand to help her up the steps. The position he took with the woman was very similar to the intimate hold he had just released Kyoko from, but the couple would not realize it until the pictures came out the next day. It was the slight blush that rose up her skin when Yashiro whispered to her that would cause them the most problems. Yashiro relinquished his grasp on the woman when they reached the waiting actors. Catherine stepped away from him to check to make sure Kyoko was ok.

"Thank you very much." Ren addressed the female manager. The blush rolled back up her skin.

"It was nothing." She made light of the achievement before turning to check on Kyoko. "Are you alright?" Kyoko's mind had frozen when the press has assaulted them. If it had not been for the reassuring words and warm arms of her beloved senpai, she would have been lost. Her heart had pounded uncontrollable while he was wrapped around her. Now that she was free, she had calmed and convinced herself that the rapid rate was due to the excitement in the crowd and not the warmth from the man that had pressed to her. Kyoko assured Catherine was fine before the manager continued. "I wish I had known about the relaxed security. I would have been better prepared."

"I think you did a wonderful job." Kyoko reassured her manager. Catherine smiled warmly at the young woman. She thanked her gracefully and turned to lead the way into the building. Kyoko walked with her and their dates fell into step behind the girls. They giggled and chatted as they walked. Ren glanced at his manager. Yashiro's eyes were on the back of the strong woman leading the way.

"Kat-san is an interesting person." Ren commented lightly to his manager. Yashiro watched the woman as she spoke to the young actress with her hand waving around to animate her words.

"Yes." Yashiro finally agreed with the actor. "But she is very hard to read." He puzzled on her for a moment. He had never met someone with such a fluid personality, soft and gentle one moment and hard as stone the next, with a touch of crazy added in for spice. Ren made a noise in agreement. He has seen Catherine change with the hat that she wore. She always stepped up and did her job properly with her own flare, no matter how challenging it was. Yashiro shook his head and sighed. "Maybe it's the American in her." Ren wanted to laugh and tell him that he was wrong about that, but then he would have to explain how he knew. He just nodded and left it alone. When they reached the doors to the banquet hall, Catherine presented the tickets and they were led into the room. A well-dressed man showed the group to a round table filled with other people. To the udder shock of the group, there were only three seats available at the table to which they were shown.

"Umm…" Catherine addressed their escort. "We were supposed to have four seats here." The man looked at the table and apologized for the error and went to find the event coordinator. Catherine turned to her companions. "Go ahead and sit here for the moment. I am going to go sort this out." Before anyone could disagree, she turned and followed the retreating man. They stood around the table and watched as she disappeared into the crowd. Ren pulled the middle chair out for Kyoko to sit down on. She was reluctant to get comfortable before the issue was resolved, but it may take a while so she settled herself on the seat. The men sat on either side of her waiting for the absent woman's return. It did not take long for a waiter to show up to fill the water glasses and place the starting salads on the table for the group. These went untouched as the time Catherine was gone grew longer.


	20. Chapter 21

Here is the next installment. I hope everyone is having a good time. Please let me know if anything needs fixing.

**Note: I don't own Skip Beat!**

Catherine followed the host as he went to find someone that could help. After producing the ticket stubs and invitation for the Maître D to look at, the source of the problem was found. Another group at their table has suddenly added an additional person to their list, thus overbooking the table, and somehow, the event coordinator missed this important fact. Catherine sighed as the formal man apologized to her repeatedly. She assured him that it would be ok, and asked if he could arrange another seat for her. She knew it would be impossible to find new seats for all four of them. After some research, a table was found with an empty seat. The event coordinator escorted Catherine to this table and apologized again for the error and inconvenience. Catherine politely accepted the apology and assured her host that it was ok. Once her seat was claimed, she went back to her original group to explain the error. Catherine walked up and placed her hand on the back of Kyoko and Yashiro's chairs. They were politely conversing with the other parties at the table.

"Well, I found out what happened." Catherine spoke softly to her group. They turned to look up at her. "Due to a scheduling error, this table was over booked." Distress crept across the faces of her companions. "They have found me another seat at a nearby table." Kyoko started to protest, but was stopped by the hand Catherine laid on her shoulder. "It's alright." She calmed the upset girl. "I'll be ok. It's only for the dinner." She smiled at Yashiro, "Please watch over Kyoko for me." He wanted to disagree, but the pleading look in Catherine's eyes stopped him. He nodded in agreement. It did not make anyone happy that they were going to be separated, but he knew that it would not do either actor's any good to make a big fuss. Catherine bid them goodbye and made her way back to the table she was going to sit at. Three sets of eyes watched as she went to a table that looked to be filled with a random selection of people. When Catherine approached the table, the man next to her stood up and pulled her chair out for her. She graciously accepted it and sat as he pushed it in. Yashiro felt a twinge of anger at the audacity of the man making eyes at 'his' date. He caught himself and was surprised at the hint of jealousy that was making him mad. He tried to turn his attention to the conversation at hand, but Kyoko and Ren were talking about the female manager's predicament and how it could have happened. Now that they had decided to stay here, they were starting in on the salads in front of them.

Catherine was surprised to learn that the table she had been seated at was an individual's table. There were no groups or couples here. They were either singles that could not bring a date or overflows from other tables. They were all very friendly and introduced themselves to the new comers. She sat between two very handsome men who seemed very interested in her. She could see they were going to spend the rest of the dinner trying to win her affections, so she introduced herself to them in slightly odd and broken Japanese laced with English words in hopes that a langue barrier would discourage them. The man's face on her left slipped slightly when he realized there were going to be communication issues. The man on her right, also the one that had pulled out her chair, smile grew as he slipped into near perfect English.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Saunders. I am Endo Kazuki." His English was well pronounced and she cursed deep inside and smiled back at him. She switched over to full English.

"I did not think anyone here would speak English. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Endo." Catherine put on her best American girl smile. She was hoping she could convince him that she was not worth his effort. Once they heard her speak, everyone was interested in why a foreign girl was by herself at such a function. Endo spent the time translating for the group. Catherine explained that she was here on a cultural exchange for her talent agency and that she was taking care of a Japanese talent. She was very careful to not mention who. They were very interested in what she thought about Japan and how it compared to where she was from. She was polite, yet formal to the group as they chatted. They were only interrupted when the main course was delivered to the table. Endo kept flirting with her through the entire dinner. Catherine would let the comments slid past with a smile. She was not trying to encourage him, but he was not getting the point that she was not interested in his advances. At one point, he even asked her to dance with him during the ball. She politely refused saying that she would need to attend to her charge and that they were only apart due to an error in the seating. He pushed back and she could either shoot him down totally, or respond with a more polite 'we'll see.' He got the 'we'll see' so that she did not have to sit next to him as he sulked.

Kyoko picked over her food as she kept glancing at her friend. She could just see Catherine chatting with people at her table. She seemed to be having a good time, but Kyoko couldn't help but notice Yashiro's bad mood. The man was stabbing his food as he watched the man next to his date hit on her. Kyoko turned her attention back to the smiling woman. After a few moments of close study, it was obvious that the woman was doing everything in her power to distance herself from the man next to her without being rude. He could just hear her bright English words filter through the Japanese conversations around her. Her seat mate, on the other hand, was not taking notice of her attempts to discourage him. He continued talking and trying to touch her through the meal. With ever touch Yashiro's irritation grew a little more. No matter how many times Ren tried to provoke his manager into conversation, his eyes and mind would return to the woman at the other table.

After dinner was done, there was a short speech thanking everyone for their support for the disaster relief and the invitation was sent out for everyone to join the host in the connecting room for the ball. Endo started to invite Catherine to join him when Yashiro appeared behind them. He had been watching the exchange between the two throughout the dinner and could not stand to see the dense man hit on his date one more time.

"Kyoko-chan is waiting for you." He spoke in clean English to the woman sitting in the chair. Endo looked up at the man and then at the two people walking up behind him. He first recognized the face of the tall actor following the shorter auburn haired girl. When his eyes fell on her face, he could see Mio from 'Darkmoon' glaring out at him. They all had been watching Catherine try her best to discourage him without being rude. Catherine genuinely smiled up at her three saviors.

"Yes, of course." She stood up and thanked her dinner companions for their hospitality. She bowed to them and left to join Kyoko who was still glaring at Endo. Yashiro glared at the younger man before turning and following her protectively as she left the table. Endo sat back down at the table with a sigh. He could see that there was no way he was going to get that dance tonight. He could still feel the cold chill generated by the young girl's glare. His dinner companion from the other side of Catherine poked him.

"Did you see who the talent was? That was Kyoko from 'Darkmoon' and 'Box 'R''. That woman must be really important." The man turned to look at the group receding. "They were with Tsuruga Ren and his manager." He laughed at Endo's plight. "Man, you struck out bad tonight!" Endo shook his head and turned so he did not have to watch the amazing woman walk away from him.

Catherine took a deep cleansing breath and let it out in a long sigh. It felt good to be away from that table. Her dinner companions were nice, but the man next to her had been very overbearing. He had spent most of the dinner finding excuses to try to touch her, and she was tired from thwarting his attempts. After he answered her in English, she knew it had been a bad idea to try and fake her way out of conversation with them. Now that she was away from him, it felt like being freed from a cage. Her smile deepened when she reached the safety of her companions.

"Are you ok?" Kyoko asked when Catherine reached her. Catherine nodded.

"It was a lovely dinner." Catherine only slowed slightly when she arrived at her friends. This forced them to turn and head away. "The company was pleasant." Yashiro's eyes bore holes into her back at these false words. He could tell she was not happy about the seating arrangement, so he let the comment go. Kyoko, on the other hand, would not let it slide.

"What are you talking about!" Indignation filled the young woman's voice. "I watch that man hit on you throughout the entire meal." Catherine snickered lightly at the young woman's antics as Kyoko continued. "I was in half a mind to go over there and put him straight." Catherine sighed happily as she took the young woman's arm and patted her gently. Ren fell into step with Yashiro as he watched the two woman convers.

"Calm down there." Catherine soothed the young woman. "No harm was done. Anyway, think about your reputation. How would it look for you to tear into someone in a public place like this?" Kyoko quieted as she rolled the severity of the possible action around in her head. Catherine could feel the anger drain out of her charge. "Now that it is over, let's not think about it again." Catherine led the group into the adjoining room. Ren's eyes soften as he watched the young woman light up at the sight of the massive ballroom. He was slightly disappointed that she was attached to Catherine at the moment, but he could not complain when she turned around and flashed him a heart melting smile before getting lost in her fairytale world. Catherine turned to look at the men following them. Ren's smile was dangerous, but the look that Yashiro was giving her made her blush. He had been turning his anger at the situation over and over in his head and it served to give a rather heated look to his eyes as he stared at the bare skin of the woman walking next to Kyoko. It was this heated look that Catherine caught when he turned towards the man. Their eyes locked for a moment until the strange actions of the young woman next to Catherine broke into their world. Kyoko jumped slightly and blushed at the sudden snap she felt on the back of her leg. To her horror, one of the straps on the garter belt had taken that exact moment to free itself. He placed her hand on her leg were the offending thing was now dangling. Catherine noticed the movement and realized what had just happened before Kyoko could break down. She bowed lightly to the men with them.

"If you will excuse us for a moment," Catherine gathered the shocked girl up. "I think we need to freshen up a bit before the dancing starts." She wheeled Kyoko around and headed her to the restroom before the men could make any comment. The surprised showed on Ren's face as he turned to his stunted manager.

"What was that?" He posed the question to the older man. They continued into the ballroom and out of the walkway.

"No, it couldn't be." Yashiro rolled the possibilities around and could only come to one conclusion. He smiled evilly at Ren, "I think one of the straps on her garter belt just broke." Ren blushed at the image of Kyoko in a garter belt and stockings. His heart raced as he swallowed the saliva that had suddenly appeared in his mouth. This was not helping his self-control any. Kyoko was such an old-fashioned girl; it had to have been Catherine's influence getting her into such an article of clothing. An idea hit Ren and he smiled back to his manager.

"If she got Kyoko into a garter belt, I wonder if Catherine is wearing one too." He knew this was not a very good conversation for a public place, but the look on Yashiro's face was well worth the risk. It was a priceless mix of joy at teasing Ren, horror at the subject topic, curiosity then horror at his own imagination, with a bit of desire mixed in. It ended with a stern face as he tried to hide his thoughts.

"I think we should go and find drinks for when the girls rejoin us." Yashiro decided to find something else to think about before things got more out of hand. Ren chuckled at the sudden change of subject and agreed.


	21. Chapter 22

Here is the next section… I know it is a little long, but there was not a good place to break it up. It makes me happy, so I hope you enjoy it too.. Please let me know if I need to correct anything.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Catherine pulled a ridged Kyoko along as she whispered soothing words to the startled woman. Once they were in the safety of the restroom, Kyoko nearly broke down in tears. Ren had been watching her at moment the strap had snapped her in the leg. She had covered the stinging area without thinking of the consequences of her actions. She was sure that her senpai had seen the action and would tease her about the wardrobe malfunction later.

"It's alright, Kyoko-chan." Catherine reassured her distressed charge. "These things happen occasionally. Just fix the issue and be done with it." Catherine's words brought her back to reality. She could read the worry in the young woman's face. "You should not be worried about Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san." Kyoko turned and looked at the woman's strong words. "No gentleman would ever dare comment about something like this." Catherine smiled at her. "And if they do, I will make them pay." Kyoko nodded and went on to inspect the strap. It looked like the clip had not been locked correctly and slipped off. She fixed it on properly and quickly inspected the others to make sure they were done right. Satisfied with the connections she came out, refreshed her makeup, and recomposed herself. Catherine stood by patiently for her charge to finish her repairs. Once done, the pair walked back out to the ballroom together. Kyoko had been reassured by Catherine's strong convictions. She only slightly blushed when they rejoined their companions. Ren and Yashiro had procured glasses of Champaign and sparkling cider for everyone. The girls gladly accepted the refreshments as they moved around the room looking at all the decorations and the variety of dresses. It was not long until a small quintet started playing classical music. Ren turned his attention to the young woman standing by his side. She was so happy watching all the pretty woman being swirled around that she was almost floating.

"Mogami-san, would you care to dance with me?" He extended his hand to her. She swallowed hard and looked at it.

"But I don't know how to dance." She had been watching the ladies float gracefully over the floor with their partners. "I don't want to embarrass you." Ren smiled at her and lightly shook his hand for her to take.

"Don't worry about it." He reassured her. "Just follow my lead and everything will be alright." Kyoko resigned herself to the task and took Ren's outstretched hand. He did not care if she stomped all over his feet, he was ecstatic that she accepted his offer without any coercion. The couple handed their glasses and Kyoko's small bag to their managers before stepping out to the dance floor. Ren's heart leaped as he swung the young woman around and placed her hand on his shoulder before grasping her at the waist. He reveled in the feel of his love's touch as she smoother the shoulder of his coat down under her hand. He drew in a stabilizing breath to keep himself from snatching her lips right then and raised their joined hands up to lead her into an easy waltz before he could change his mind. It only took a few steps for Kyoko to get the swing of things before she followed the taller man around the floor with ease. Ren was floating on cloud nine.

Kyoko was too busy focusing on not embarrassing her respected senpai that she did not notice the look he was giving her. Once she was able to follow his steps, she turned her face up to meet his eyes. She faltered in her steps when she saw The Emperor of the Night staring back at her. It was only the hands of the man holding her and the desire not in disappoint him that kept her moving in their dance. Basking in the radian glow coming from him, Kyoko's grudges screamed in pain as a few more of the locks fell from her box.

Catherine and Yashiro stood on the side and watched the pair waltz around the floor. Yashiro's fan girl was popping out as he found a place to set the drinks and pulled on his pair of rubber gloves so he could use his phone to snap several photos of the couple twirling around the dance floor. Catherine giggled at his antics as she finished off her glass of Champaign. She opened her bag to reveal a small, yet high end, digital camera. She offered the device to the ecstatic man. He took it and was soon snapping countless photos of the pair. She watched him change angles as his subjects floated around the room. She couldn't help but wonder at the feel of his hair when he brushed the lose strands back when it got in the way of the camera. She shook her head to clear it of the intimate thoughts gathering there. She turned her concentration back to the couple spinning on the floor. They danced through several waltzes until the music changed into something more intimate. Kyoko blushed at the tempo change. Her heart was beating furiously at the closeness of the handsome man dancing with her. He was reluctant to let her go, but he did not know how good his waning control would be if they pressed together for the more intimate song, so he led her off the dance floor to their waiting companions. Yashiro passed the camera back to Catherine, who dropped it into her bag so that the approaching couple would not see it. Ren may have confiscated the small device if he had known about it.  
>"You looked wonderful out there." Catherine's complements brought a new flush to Kyoko's cheek as they rejoined their friends. Catherine handed the cider back to Kyoko and she took a long pull of the bubbling drink. She did not know that dancing was such a workout.<p>

"Aren't you two going to dance too?" Kyoko looked at Catherine and then to Yashiro expectantly. Catherine looked down at Kyoko's skirt while Yashiro studied the inside of this wine flute. Neither one wanted to answer that question. Catherine straightened herself out and answered the question with the only answer available to her.

"Of course we will dance, but I could not leave our purses unattended." Catherine's logic was sound. She was reluctant to place herself into the arms of the man next to her. He had way of making her heart flutter in her chest. She was also very aware anytime he brushed against her skin. The places he touched would tingle for a few minutes after he moved away.

"Ok, then let me hold our bags while you dance." Catherine gathered the object from Catherine's hands while Yashiro choked on the sip of wine he had just taken. He was not prepared for Kyoko suggestion, the music that was playing was still the intimate song that Ren had lead Kyoko away from. Catherine rubbed his back with concern while he coughed up the offending liquid. After a few minutes and a glass of water the Ren retrieved, Yashiro was better and prepared to step out with Catherine. Luckily, the music style had change to a waltz again. The two managers linked hands and set out under the watchful eyes of their companions. Both Yashiro and Catherine were very aware of the placement of Yashiro's hand on her waist. The cut of the dress ran under his palm and his fingers lay gently on the warm bare skin of her back. She, while not what one could consider 'tiny', was well shaped with curves in the right places. Yashiro stared into her smoky blue eyes in amazement. He didn't really know this woman, but she felt so right in his arms. Ren watched the changes in his manager as he waltz his date around the floor.

"They look good together." Kyoko voiced the thoughts in Ren's head before he could. "I think Yashiro-san likes her." He could not believe his ears. The dense woman at his side had picked up on the feeling of his manager, but could not pick up the same feeling he had shown her. Ren hid the shock he felt and nodded in agreement.

"I think we need to see about getting those two together." Ren suggested lightly seeing what Kyoko would do. She pondered over his suggestion for a moment and agreed with him whole heartily. They watched the two pauses in their dancing as the music switched to something more upbeat.

As the intro to the tango started Catherine smiled at the man in front of her.

"Do you tango?" She paused as he smiled and shifted his hand position higher onto her bare back. They set out in an easy tango, feeling out the level of the other dancer. Most of the dancers had left the floor when the exotic music started. The couple that had requested the dance entered with a flourish and was showing of their practiced and calculated steps in the open area. Yashiro keep increasing the difficulty of their moves and Catherine met him step for step. Catherine was glad for the split in her dress as she kicked and stepped around the man dancing with her.

On one spin, the sleeve of Yashiro's coat caught on the end of the pin holding her hair up, pulling the decoration loose. Catherine reached up and snatched it from her hair without even missing a beat in her steps. The ends of her hair unfurled down her back as they continued their dance. Yashiro had been trying to concentrate on the steps without thinking about the girl herself, but the feel of the silk like stands covering his hand made Yashiro's heart skip. He was surrounded by the soft scents of rose and jasmine. He had noticed it on her earlier, but he was almost overwhelming by it now. She must have been wearing the perfume in her hair. The tango was a passionate dance, and he was starting to feel that passion in her. The softness of her hair, the warmth of her skin, and the quickness of her breath were all serving to drive him crazy. He could feel her heart pound as he pulled her against him and twirled her around to the beat of the song. As the song came to a close, he swung her around into a dip deep enough for her hair to touch the ground. She kicked her leg up dramatically before he pulled her up and into a full embrace.

Two sets of eyes watched intently as the couple danced. Both Ren and Kyoko were surprised that the two managers had not returned when the passionate music started. They were even more surprised at the level of difficulty that Yashiro swirled Catherine around the floor. Kyoko rummaged into Catherine's bag and pulled out the camera she had seen the woman place there before they left and handed it to Ren to take pictures. Ren took it and took several pictures as the pair moved in perfect synchronization. Kyoko's eyes widened on one of the kicks Catherine did. Not only did the split in her skirt show that she did have nice legs, if you watched carefully you could make out the fact that she was wearing a garter belt with her stockings. By the end of the song, they were getting more attention than the professional couple. They may not have had the level of technical difficulty of them, but their chemistry was far greater. Ren snapped a picture of the final pose before they finished the dance. He was sure that he could use that one against his manager. He took another as the pair embraced at the end of their dance. Catherine was breathing hard and Yashiro had closed his eyes so he could better feel the woman in his arms.

The quintet continued into another Latin dance. Yashiro spun Catherine away from him and moved to the beat. It took no time till Catherine's hips were swinging to the beat of a light samba. Ren stared at his manager with an open mouth, he had no idea the man could move like that. Other couples were joining them now that the music was more playful. The samba was a much easier dance to do. Catherine noticed their audience and turned her eyes to the pair of actors standing on the sidelines. An idea struck her and she turned an evil smile to her partner. He had been doing his best to ignore the body moving in his arms and lose himself into the dance, but the look in her eyes drew him back to her. Now keenly aware of every twist of her hips, he attempted to read his partners intent without words. She caught his eyes and glanced at the still forms standing where they had come from. Kyoko was watching the other dances and mimicking some of their moves. The same idea clicked in Yashiro and he grinned like a little girl. The dancing couple made their way to where the actors were standing. They broke into the basic steps for beginners and dance right in front of Kyoko so she could see how it was done. After two sets, Catherine pulled away from her partner and stepped to Kyoko. Yashiro continued with the easy steps. Relieving her of the bags and drink, she pulled the girl onto the floor and placed her in front of the dancing man. She demonstrated the steps in time with Yashiro and Kyoko followed. Once in the swing, Yashiro took her in his arms and danced with her. Catherine turned back to the tall man watching.

Ren stood there watching the growing crowd on the dance floor. There were lots of different examples of samba there for him to watch. To his surprise and delight, he caught movement from the girl next to him. She was slowly trying some of the steps she was seeing the dancers preforming. His heart skipped as he watched her hips twist a little, like she was confused that hips could move like that. He was so absorbed in his study of Kyoko that he failed to notice the pair of dancers coming close until they were right in front of him. Having his attention broken by them, he watched as they fell into an easy step. He was not sure what to do when Catherine stepped away from Yashiro and pulled Kyoko to the floor. His heart was ready to burst as the woman got Kyoko moving to the steady beat. A twinge of jealousy rose up when his manager took the young girl in his arms and got her dancing. He shook his head to clear the anger away; he had no reason to be jealous of the man teaching his love to samba. He only wished that she was in his arms, not Yashiro's.

Catherine abandoned the bags to the floor and moved to Ren's side. His thoughts were broken when she pulled him to the floor and placed him next to Yashiro. She continued with the easy samba steps until he figured them out. It did not take long until he mimicked Yashiro's stance and he was swinging to the music with Catherine. Now that both actors knew the steps, Catherine and Yashiro preformed an unexpected turn and traded dance partners. Before they knew what happened, Ren found Kyoko in his hands. She faltered in her steps at the unexpected development, but some quick coaching from Catherine soon got her his swinging again. Ren's heart exploded to the feel of his love dancing in his arms. Unfortunately, the song drew to a close too soon for him. As the song ended, he pulled the young actress closer to him, bringing his hands to rest on her shoulders. She had not noticed the movement until the last notes fell and she stopped dancing. Finding herself so close to the irresistible man made her heart pound more than the dance had. In her surprise, she looked up at his face to be met with the Emperor of the Night shinning from his eyes. She froze, blushed, and was about to move away from him when another Latin tune picked up. Kyoko found herself pulled from Ren and handed over to Yashiro again. Catherine took the tall actor and forced his attention to her. It did not take any time for the managers to teach the couple the mambo and return the partners to their correct places.

Yashiro and Catherine turned an easy mambo next to the actors. Their attention was not on their dancing, but on the pair mimicking their moves next to them. Yashiro was on cloud nine as he watched the soft look that Ren was giving his partner. Kyoko was concentration on the steps more then on her partner. Catherine chided her on this making her look up into Ren's face. His control slipped a little at the face she turned to him. It was a complex mix of apology, fear, joy, and concentration, It only server to make him love her even more. Anyone watching the couple dancing could have seen the connection made as the two turned together.

All four dancers were breathing heavily by the time the music quieted. Yashiro had used a spin to wrapped Catherine in his arms so she was against him, but faced away. Ren mimicked his move and stopped with Kyoko held against him. The actors both reveled in the feel of the embrace. Kyoko's brain tried to sort out its thoughts and Ren tried to prevent his control from slipping farther. He released the girl from his arms and guided her to the edge of the dance floor before he lost it completely. Yashiro only had a moment to be sad that Ren broke the embrace before his attention was snapped back to the girl in his arms; she was still breathing hard and had started to tremble slightly. Concern took control as he released Catherine and helped her to the sidelines. He located a chair and placed the stricken woman in it. Kyoko drew away from Ren and chased after the pair. Ren collected the forgotten bags from the floor and followed.

"Is everything ok Kat-chan?" Kyoko asked as she eyed the slightly flushed woman. Catherine had tilted her head forward into her hands and closed her eyes. She was trying to collect herself. 'How am I going to explain this?' She thought to herself and turned the problem over in her head. She really did not want to admit that it was the feeling of man pressed to her back that had caused the tremors to run her body. She had been keyed up over the dances and was surprised when he had spun her into such a close embrace at the end. It was his heavy breathing on her ear that made her knees weak. If he had been paying more attention to her at the end, he might have noticed that he was the only thing that kept her from slipping to the floor. Thankfully, she was able to gather herself together a little while he was watching his charge. Now that she was the center of attention, she had to come up with a plausible reason for her reaction. Catherine swallowed as she chose the most believable excuse she could think of.

"Give me a moment and I will be fine." Catherine lifted her head without opening her eyes. She pulled in and released a cleansing breath before continuing with her excuse. "It has been a long time since I danced like that and I got a little winded." She opened her eyes and looked at the concerned girl. She tried to look as innocent as possible. Kyoko eyed her warily before letting her explanation slide.

"Here, drink this." Yashiro handed her a glass he procured from one of the refreshment tables around the hall. He had gotten drinks for everyone while Catherine was resting.

"Thank you." Catherine took the glass and sipped the bubbling liquid. The sparkling cider cooled her throat and she felt better. "I am sorry for making you worry." She apologized to the group.

"It does not matter, as long as you're ok." Ren interjected his thoughts into the conversation. He was skeptical of her explanation too. He knew she was a very health and active woman. He did not think that the three dances, no matter how upbeat they were, would be enough to wind her. He let it slide, but decided to watch the woman closer.

"So Kyoko how did you like your first experience with Latin dancing?" Catherine quickly tried to change the subject. Kyoko blushed a little as she remembered being wrapped in the taller actors arms.

"It was a lot of fun." She finally answered. "How did you ever learn to dance like that?"

"Work." Catherine chuckled lightly before continuing to explain. "I was asked to attend to a South American idol for a bit. He had a passion for Latin dancing. And since I was the only one he was allowed to be around, I got the job of dancing with him." Ren smiled as he remembered when she took that assignment. When she came back from the lengthy job, she would randomly breakout in bits of sambas for months afterwards. He had teased her about it at the time. An idea hit Catherine and she grinned at Kyoko, "Would you like me to teach you more?"

"Yes, please." Kyoko jumped on the offer. She had had fun with the little she learned on the dance floor. Catherine was feeling better now, so she stood up.

"I would be happy to. If we can find some willing partners," Catherine looked at the men standing with them. They both took that moment to turn their attention elsewhere and not meet the woman's eyes "I will teach you all of the dances that I know." She listed the possible dances. "Tango, samba, mambo, cha cha cha, ramba, oh and don't forget the lambada." Ren had just taken a sip from the glass and nearly choked at the mention of the forbidden dance. Yashiro's fan girl showed up at the idea of Ren and Kyoko dancing the proactive dance. After verifying that the tall man would survive his imagination, Catherine brushed her loosened hair back over her shoulder and scowled. "I really need to tend to this." She turned towards where the restroom was. Kyoko started to follow, but Catherine waved her back. "I'm just going to tend to my hair. I will be right back." She took her bag and left.

Ren, Kyoko, and Yashiro watched as Catherine wove her way through the crowd towards the bathroom. When she disappeared around the corner, Kyoko turned back to Ren. His coughing had subsided, but he was still red in the face.

"Are you ok now?" Kyoko's concern for her senpai health was clear in her voice. He nodded and took another sip from his glass. He needed a moment to rein in his emotions before he could answer her.

"Yes." He answered when felt he finally had control. "It just went down the wrong way." He really wanted to change the subject so he turned to the other man in the group. "So, Yashiro, where did you learn to dance like that?" He never imagined that he would see his mild-mannered manager preform such passionate moves in public. Yashiro had slipped his hand in his pants pocket and was studying the contents of his wine glass.

"I took a class in college." He swirled the liquid around and tried to keep the embarrassment out of his voice as he continued. "There was someone in the class that I was trying to impress." He drained the glass, ignoring the smile that had crept into his charges eyes. He just knew Ren was going to find a way to tease him about this for the next month. 'Well at least I can tease him about Kyoko learning the lambada.' He thought as a smile broke upon his face. His mind shifted to the missing woman that had made the suggestion. She had only been gone for a few minutes, but he was still worried about her. She hadn't taken much time to recover from whatever it was that ailed her.

Kyoko had listened to Yashiro's story and was looking at him with understanding eyes. She knew what it was like to do something to impress another. Her mind turned over all of the things that she had learned to do at the Fuwa's. The air temperature dropped as Kyoko brooded on the evil man; her grudges swirled around ready to target the singer. Ren looked at the young woman with concern. All thoughts of teasing his manager disappeared as the miasma around Kyoko increased.

"Are you alright?" Ren asked the young girl. His voice snapped Kyoko out of her thoughts as she remembered where she was.

"Yes, I am fine." The darkness and cold disappeared instantly as she smiled warmly at her senpai. She tried to hide the horror she felt inside. How could she stoop so low as to think about that demon boy when she was supposed to be having a good time with her beloved senpai. Ren looked at her was suspicious eyes. He could tell that she was not speaking the truth, but before he could call her on it she posed an interesting question. "Do you think Kat-chan is ok?" Ren's train of thought was derailed as concern for the missing woman rose in him. The three friends turned to look in the direction that Catherine had gone.

"She is taking a long time." Concern filled Ren's voice as he turned to his companions.

"You two stay here, I'll go look for her." Yashiro answered before Kyoko could say anything. This was the perfect excuse to give the two actors some time alone together. He pulled his hand from his pocket and left before anyone could protest. Kyoko and Ren watched his back as he followed the path taken by the missing woman. Kyoko tilted her head in thought as Yashiro disappeared through the door.

"How is he going to check on her, if she is in the restroom?" Ren turned to Kyoko and considered her words. After a moment of eyes contact, the two actors followed. This was a problem they were sure Yashiro had not thought about.


	22. Chapter 23

Here is the next chapter.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Catherine had left the group and made her way out of the ballroom. Her heart was still beating erratically and she just needed a few minutes away so she could sort out her thoughts. It was a surprisingly long walk down the hall to where the restrooms were positioned. A few minutes in the restroom found her standing at the sink drying her hands. She kept looking at her loose hair. The tightness of the original wrap had caused it to curl and fall in dramatic waves. She contemplated letting it hang before deciding to fix it. She was just getting the pin set when a pair of ladies walked into the room. Catherine was hidden in a small alcove, so they did not see her.

"Did you see those two dancing the tango?" their voices echoed in the room.

"Which ones?" Another voice answered back. "The girl in the dark blue or the one in red?"

"The one in blue." The first voice answered. "Weren't they just amazing."

"Yes, I wish I could dance like that. And did you see the guy she was with."

"Oh my god! He was hot. I wish he was my boyfriend." Both of the girls giggled.

"Did you see the way he held her at the end of the dance? They looked so perfect together." Catherine quickly collected her things and left. She could not stand to hear anymore. She paused when she entered the hallway. She should go back, but the girl's talk had set her mind reeling again. She turned to the open door at the other end of the hall and stepped out on the terrace for some fresh air. She was sure Kyoko was safe with the two men to guard her for a few more minutes.

When the two girls stepped out of the restroom, the man that they had been talking about was standing in front of the door. They both blushed when he addressed them.

"Excuse me, is there anyone else in there?" Yashiro asked, "I am looking for my date." The two girls giggled at his confused look. He did not know what he had done to cause such a reaction.

"Um, was she wearing a long blue dress?" One of the girls asked him. Yashiro confirmed this and the girl continued. "She left a few minutes ago." He thanked them and was about to go back to the ballroom when Kyoko and Ren came down the hall. The two girls squealed when they recognized the tall actor. Ren ignored them as he questioned his manager.

"Did you find her?" Yashiro shook his head in reply.

"These two," he indicated the excited girls, "said that she left here a few minutes ago." Ren looked at them for conformation. The two girls nodded vigorously. Ren smiled brightly and thanked them both for their help. The two girls giggled off down the corridor. They were yammering excitedly about meeting both the hot guy from the dance floor and Japan's most desirable man. Ren turned back to the problem at hand. "She could not have gone too far." Yashiro pulled the conversation back to the missing woman. "Why don't you two go check the refreshment table and the ballroom? We might have missed her on the way back." He suggested he turned to look at the open door at the other end of the hall. 'Surly she would not have gone outside.' He thought to himself. "I will check to see if she is out on the terrace. Let's meet back here." Everyone agreed and they went their separate ways to find the absent woman.

Ren followed Kyoko as she led the way into the refreshment table. He scanned the crowd for the blond hair of Kyoko's manager, but did not see it. Kyoko wandered around the area as fast as she could move without running. When she stopped, Ren laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"It will be alright. I am sure we just missed her." He calmed the girl as anxiety welled in his chest. "She can take care of herself." His words soothed Kyoko, but his worries grew every minute that they searched for the absent woman. After checking the ballroom with no luck, they went back to the hall with the restrooms. Yashiro had not made it back yet, Kyoko turned to check in the restroom leaving Ren standing in the hall. His curiosity pulled him to the open door. He sighed in relief as his eyes landed on the managers standing together by the fountain. His eyes widened as he watched the scene playing out before his eyes. He pulled the small camera from his pockets and took a number of pictures before Kyoko joined him at the door. She followed his line of sight and called out as she saw the woman they were looking for.

Yashiro saw Catherine immediately as he stepped through the door onto the terrace. He turned to call to the actors, but they had already disappeared down the hall. He knew they would be back soon, so he turned his attention to the woman standing in the garden. He made his way past the railing and down the steps before joining her near the large fountain she was admiring.

"Here you are." Catherine had heard him coming so was not surprised when he spoke. She stared at the water as it flowed down the ledges of the fountain.

"I just needed some air." She tried not to think about the words the girls had spoken in the restroom. Yashiro could see that Catherine was conflicted about something, but he did not know how to ask her what was wrong. He watched as she rubbed her hand up and down her arm warming it. He slipped out of his coat as he realized the night air was fairly cool. She was surprised when she felt the warm material drape across her shoulders.

"Is that better?" Yashiro asked as Catherine turned to look at him. She smiled a little and nodded as she pulled the coat closed around her. It was warm and smelled of the man plaguing her heart. The worry drained away from him as he took in her movements the way her hands pulled at the edge of his jacket, the tilt of her head, the bashful smile that graced her lips. He wanted to roll her up and hold her tight. As he drew closer to her, his eyes caught a flash of silver from her bracelet as she pulled the coat a little closer. He had totally forgotten about that during the dinner. "Oh, I have something else for you." Catherine's smile dropped a little as she considered what the man may have for her. Yashiro closed the gap between them and reached into the outside pocket of his coat. "Excuse me." Catherine stood still and watched his movements. He held out the thin chain of woven metal for her to see. She reached her hand out to touch is as she recognized the anklet from the jewelry store.

"Yashiro-san, you shouldn't have." She withdrew her hand from the delicate object. "The bracelet was more than enough."

"I wanted too; you have done a lot for our Kyoko-chan." Yashiro waved her protests away. "Here, let me help you put it on." Yashiro knelt down on one knee in front of her and held out his hands to her. "Give me your foot." Catherine reached out and took one. He placed her right hand on his shoulder for balance as she raised her foot up. Yashiro guided it onto his bent knee and wrapped the cool metal around her ankle. It took him a moment to get it settled into place. He had not noticed how the dress slipped off her leg while he worked. His hands lingered on her ankle as his eyes slip up the limb clear to her thigh where Catherine had placed her left hand to keep the dress from opening completely. His eyes snapped up to her face and he blushed. The dress had split far enough that he could tell that she was, in fact, wearing a garter belt. He was just about ready to act on his impulses when his thoughts were broken by a voice.

"Kat-chan!" Kyoko yelled from the doorway. The couple turned their head to see the young woman making her way down as Ren put something in his pocket. Catherine dropped her leg down so Yashiro could remove himself from the ground. Kyoko bowled into the woman franticly. "We were so worried about you." She cried as Kat-chan wrapped her in a hug.

"I am ok." Catherine patted her on the back to calm her. It was in times like this that Kyoko was more like a child then an adult. Ren watched as his love made a scene of the reunion. Catherine righted the girl after a moment. Kyoko remembered where she was and controlled herself. She looked down at the leg that Yashiro had been holding.

"Is there something wrong with your ankle?" Kyoko bent to get a better look.

"No. Yashiro-san was just helping me with this." Catherine stretched her leg out and pointed her toe so that Kyoko could see the silver metal.

"Ohh." Kyoko admired the anklet as Yashiro looked for anything besides the faces of his companions. Ren was trying to catch his eye, but he was not going to fall for the taller man's teasing. Yashiro cleared his throat to draw the girls away from the object of interested.

"Now that we have all come together, I suggest that we all head back inside." Yashiro looked at his watch. "It is just about time to call it a night. We have work in the morning." The group muttered in agreement and turned to go inside. Catherine and Kyoko lead the way followed by the men. Ren's eyes switched from Catherine in Yashiro's coat to Kyoko in her own short jacket. He wished that she didn't have one so that he could share his with her.

Needing to take out his frustration, Ren pulled the small digital camera out of his pocket and started looking through the pictures. Yashiro recognized the small device and looked at the pictures Ren was flipping through. Ren was holding it at just the right position that Yashiro could get a good look at what was on the screen. His eyes widened at the pictures of the intimate scene. With the angle the pictures were taken, it looked like he was proposing to the woman standing above him. Ren smiled at the blush that burst out over his manager's face. Yashiro could not say anything for fear of drawling attention to Ren's little treasure. Ren turned off the camera and pocketed the item. Yashiro thought furiously to find a way to get the small object from Ren. Not only did it have those incriminating pictures, it also had the pictures of the young actors dancing. He really needed to get that before Catherine saw those last pictures.

Catherine led the way to the front door. She had called the limo as they were walking from the back and it would be there momentarily. The men took up positions next to their ladies so they could help them down the steps and into the car. Most of the photographers from the start of the dinner had left, so there was not a large crowd to transvers when the car arrived. They took up the same seats that they had coming. Yashiro watched as Ren pulled the camera out of his pocket and handed it back to its owner. Yashiro's eyes followed it as she slipped it into the pocket of the coat she was still wearing. He had to get those pictures somehow.


	23. Chapter 24

Here is the next section… Now I have to write more.. I hope everyone enjoyed the dance.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Once at LME, Ren took Kyoko by the arm and escorted her back to the dressing rooms were her clothing was. Ren noticed the awkward silence that had developed between the managers. Yashiro kept looking at her with the oddest expression as he tried to figure out how to get the camera from her. Catherine was still struggling with her feelings and was putting as much distance between them as possible without being rude. He had to suppress a laugh as he watched the antics of the two managers as they went back to the changing rooms.

When the girls opened the door to their changing room, they were surprised to find everything had been cleared away. Their clothing was nowhere to be found. They checked on the guys' things and found they were missing also. Confusion filled all four parties as they made their way to the only person that may know what is going on, Takarada Lory.

Ren opened the door to Lory's office and met with drapes of red material covering everything. Many long lengths of the material hung randomly from the ceiling blocking the way through the room. The sounds of waltz music drifted out from the forests of red cloth as the couples walked into the room. Ren stepped between them as he led the way followed close behind by Kyoko. Catherine followed the young woman and Yashiro took up the rear position. The lower light added to the mystery as they approached the area where the president's desk should have been. The red drapes rustled as a man stepped from them and swooped Catherine up into a waltz. He was dressed in a black tux with a cape and a mask that covered the left half of his face. Catherine chortled her surprise and the coat on her shoulders slipped off as she was whisked away into the dance.

Yashiro and Kyoko were startled at the black mass that passed and swallowed the girl that had been between them. Her surprised laugher caused a shiver to run down the spines of all three remaining people. Kyoko has turned to see what happened to her friend, and Ren had whipped around to wrap Kyoko in his arms protectively. He was not sure what was going on, but he was not going to let anything happen to his lady. Yashiro snapped in the direction that the mass had gone, but the red material had swallowed the stolen girl up. He picked his coat up and closed the distance so that he stood between the two actors and the possible threat. Kyoko stood frozen, heart fluttering, as she found herself pressed into the chest of the tall actor. Fear was building in the three friends when they heard Catherine's laugher bubble up from the other side of the room. Following the sound, Yashiro pushed through the red cloth to discover what happened to the missing woman. Ren practically carried Kyoko as he followed his manager close. Any protest Kyoko had at how close he held her were squashed by the severity of their situation. One of their party had just been kidnapped by a dark stranger, it was no time to complain about formalities.

Yashiro stepped free of the red drapes to find the seized woman dancing with the man in black. He sighed with relief as he recognized the masked man. Ren stepped up next to his manager and shook his head at the view before him. Catherine was turning a fast waltz with none other than the president they had been looking for. Her mirth spilled forth as he swung her around. Kyoko was still pressed to the taller man's chest and could not see what was going on. It was only when she wiggled that Ren remembered her and released her from his grasp. Spilling from his arms, she whipped around to locate her manager.

As the music slowed, Lory drew the laughing woman closer to the shocked group and stopped in front of them before releasing her. Catherine continued to giggle hysterically as her legs folded up under her and she ended seated on the floor at the feet of the group, her shock and relief had combine to steal the strength from them. Lory had not expect this and reached to catch the fallen woman. Yashiro also reached for her. Laughing harder at this development, she waved both men off and took a deep breath to try to calm down.

"I am fine." Still laughing a little, she pulled her legs under her and went to stand up. Both Yashiro and Lory offered her hands to help her. Taking one from each they lifted to her feet. She chuckled again before blowing out an amused breath. "Adrenalin will do funny thing to your system." Once her feet were securely under her, she released the men and brushed off her skirt. No one in the group knew how to react to what just happened. They should to be mad at the president for his antic, but they were confused by Catherine's reaction. Catherine turned to the elaborately dresses man and hugged him. "That was fantastic!" Catherine released him and blew out another amused breath. She took a long deep breath and steadied herself even farther.

"What are you doing?" Ren turned to the masked man in black. He had finally gathered his thoughts and was not going to let the president get away with scaring them. Lory bowed with a flourish.

"I'm preparing for tomorrow." He stood up and held out the edges of his costume. "What do you think?" Catherine clapped hardily before the tall actor could speak his mind.

"It's magnificent." She breathed heavily since she was still recovering from her fit. "But I would suggest that you not snatch up you visitors tomorrow." She sobered up as she continued. "You may really scare someone with that entrance." Lory bowed to his guests.

"I understand and apologies for any concern I may have caused you tonight." Lory took in all four people as he stood up. "Now what brings you to my office so late this evening?"

"We came to find our things." Ren answered for the group. "They were not in the changing rooms." Lory's light hearted manor slipped away.

"I am sorry. I did not think you would be coming back here after the ball, so I had Sebastian take your things home for you." The president confessed. Relief was visible on everyone's face. Their things had not been stolen.

"That's good." Ren replied, "If everything is safe, then we will take our leave of you tonight." He turned to go, but was stopped when Catherine cleared her throat.

"There is one problem." She addressed the group before turning to the president. "My keys were in my coat pocket." Registering the issue, Lory bowed to the lady with a flourish of his cape.

"No problem there." He walked to a drape of material behind him and revealed his missing desk. He opened a draw and pulled out a box containing keys . He handed one to Catherine. "You apartment key my lady." Catherine took it from the man. Ren looked at the pile of tagged keys and card in the box and shivered. He wondered if Lory had spare keys for all of his talents and if having his locks changed would do him any good. He shook himself of the possibilities in that box, glad that his eccentric (yet sometimes meddlesome) boss was a good person who actually cared about the wellbeing of his charges.

"Thank you. That's all well and good, but what about my car keys." She inquired. There was no way for her to get home tonight without them.

"I can take you home tonight." Ren offered. Catherine turned and bowed her gratitude to the man.

"I can get myself home. I was just worried about Kyoko's safety."

"I will be happy to drop you both off." Ren revised his offer to the woman. Lory clapped his hands together.

"Well, now that is taken care of, have a good night." Lory ushered the group to the door. After another apology and a warm farewell from Lory, the party of four found themselves in the hall outside the closed office door. They laughed about the about the eccentric man's antic clear to the parking garage. When they stepped out into the cool night air, Yashiro draped his jacket over Catherine's shoulders once again. When the warm material touched her back, she turned slightly to look at the man taking care of her. A small smile graced her lips as she pulled the jacket closer around her. Ren had caught the subtle gesture from Catherine. He was sure that she liked his manager, at least a little. He thought about the conversation he had with Kyoko earlier about getting the two managers together. It may be easier than he imagined it to be. He looked at the young woman getting into the front of his car. If he could get Kyoko to help him get the two managers to fall in love, than maybe it would soften her heart a little.

Ren turned over the possibilities in his mind as he drove the group home. His thoughts were only interrupted when Catherine gave him directions. Her directions ended at a store where she got out. She slipped out of Yashiro's jacket and handed it back into the car.

"Wait, this is not where you live." Kyoko protested.

"No. But I need to pick something up." Catherine explained. Yashiro started to get out too. "You don't need to come." Catherine waved the man back into the car. "I only live right around the corner." Yashiro tried to get out of the car anyway.

"We can't leave you alone this late at night. It isn't safe." Yashiro argued with the woman.

"Look," she retorted to him while pushing him back into the car. "I can take care of myself." Ren and Kyoko watched as the two managers argued.

"You were easily snatched up in the office." Yashiro tossed the most recent event at her. It stung her pride that he was right. Ren could see that this was escalating out of control.

"Well, you didn't do anything to stop it!" Catherine fired the truth back at him. It stabbed at his heart to hear that he had failed her. Yashiro was about to fire back more hurtful things, when Ren broke in.

"ENOUGH!" The tall actor had it with the fight. He realized that if he let them go, it would ruin anything that the two had between them. He did not want to but, he was going to have to pick a side. His eyes turned to Catherine. "You only live around the corner?" He confirmed what she said.

"Yes." She pointed to a tall apartment building. "Right there." Ren turned to look at the building just down the street.

"Alright. We will let you go here. Please call Kyoko as soon as you get home so we know you are safe." Ren instructed the woman. Both Kyoko and Yashiro were shocked at this. She nodded her agreement and turned to go.

"Wait." Yashiro was livid at Ren for the suggestion. Catherine ignored his protests as she walked away. "We are going to just leave her like this?" Ren shot Yashiro his best gentleman's smile.

"Would you rather we stay here and fight about it?" Yashiro blanched at Ren's anger. Kyoko sat quietly watching the woman walk into the store. She could see the anger rolling off her manager. Her grudges here happily basking in the dark atmosphere surrounding them. "We will wait here until she makes it into her building." Ren turned back around and watched for the woman to come out of the store. This soothed Yashiro just a bit. He was still pissed off, so he crossed his arms and grumped into the seat. He refused to look at the man driving the car. In a few minutes, Catherine came out of the store with a bag and headed to her building. She noticed that Ren's car was still sitting in the same spot. She flipped her head and made a point of ignoring them as she walked the 100 yards to her building. It was only about three more minutes till Kyoko's phone rang.

"Hello." Kyoko answered it.

"I'm home." The anger was very clear in Catherine's voice. "You can leave now." She hung up before Kyoko could response to her. Kyoko looked at the beeping object in distress. She had never seen Catherine so angry. Ren started the car and drove his grumpy manager home in silence. At his home, Yashiro got out of his car and left the pair without a word. Kyoko watched as he left. She was worried about the two managers. Ren patted her on the shoulder.

"They will be ok." He reassured her. "Just give them time to cool down." Kyoko nodded to him. Ren hoped that they would get over their little tiff fast. It would be harder to get them into a relationship if they stayed mad. He took Kyoko home and dropped her off at her door before heading home himself. He would have rather rolled her in his arms and kissed her soundly, but she would not have it, it was getting very late, and they did have work tomorrow.

Yashiro threw his jacket down on the couch. His anger at the entire situation burned in him as he started to strip off the fancy clothing from the evening. No matter how mad he was, he needed to make sure the tux was hung up properly so that it was not damaged. After folding the pants onto the hanger, he settled the coat over it. His anger flared as images of that stubborn woman in his coat filled his head. An epiphany struck as he remembered the camera that Catherine had slipped into his pocked. A quick search of the pockets revealed that she had forgotten it. Excitement pushed his anger away; he could get those pictures off before returning the device to her. He flipped the small electronic device over and popped the battery door open to find that someone had already removed the memory card from it!

Ren slipped the small chip into the port on his laptop and clicked the icon to upload the pictures to his hard drive. Surprise filled him as the first pictures from the benefit were of him and Kyoko dancing. He laughed at the cunning managers and picked an especially good one showing a light blush on his lady and the love he felt for her to make his new desktop wallpaper.


	24. Chapter 25

I hope you enjoy the next section.

Note: I do not own skip beat.

When Kyoko came down the next morning, Catherine was sitting in her normal place waiting for the young woman. The Okami had offered her breakfast as usual, but she had refused it saying she had already eaten. Kyoko quickly finished her food and followed the waiting manager to her normal car. Kyoko stopped for a moment to contemplate the meaning of it. They had left this car at LME last night. Catherine caught the pause and answered the unasked question.

"I went to get the car early this morning." What she was not telling Kyoko was that she could not sleep last night so she went to pick it up around 2 am. She had been out all night trying to cool down from the fight she had with Yashiro. She usually had a level head, but he just made her so angry and she could not come up with a good reason why. Kyoko took her at her word and got into the car. She had school this morning, so Catherine parked nearby and walked her to the gate. Bidding the manager goodbye, she went in to the building.

Her classroom was buzzing when she arrived, but the noise stopped when she stepped in. Every face in the room turned to look in her direction as she walked to her desk. She was not sure what was going on, but it could not be good. Nanokura Mimori came over and stopped in front of her desk. She slammed a newspaper down for Kyoko to see.

"What is the meaning of this!" She demanded. Kyoko looked at the article and the pictures in the paper. It was about the function last night. There were several pictures of her and Ren walking and dancing. There was even a picture of their managers walking up the steps, Yashiro whispering to her while Catherine blushed. It was a really good picture.

"What do you mean?" Kyoko asked. She was not sure how to explain what was shown there.

"AREN'T YOU ENGAGED TO FUWA-SAN?" Mimori screamed at her. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING CHEATING ON HIM!" Kyoko's grudges flew out of their hiding places at the rumor that had caused her all the problems and the accusations from the girl.

"I AM NOT ENGAGED TO THAT WORTHLESS MAN!" Kyoko yelled right back at her. Her response staggered Mimori back a little. Kyoko calmed herself a little remembering what Catherine has said about the rumors. Don't get angry, don't cause a scene, just denied the accusations and call me. Kyoko continued in a more level headed tone. "I am not engaged to Fuwa Sho."

"Oh, so you must be after this good-for-nothing," Mimori indicated Ren in the picture. This was more than Kyoko could stand. She would take her being insulted, but she would not stand Ren being insulted. Kyoko stood up from her desk, knocking her chair over.

"He is not a good-for-nothing! He is a wonderful man and always does a good job!" She yelled. "And for your information, we were representing LME for the benefit last night!" Kyoko was surrounded by a dark miasma as her grudges bounced off of the walls around her. The argument was interrupted when the teacher came in. After stern words to the arguing girls, everyone sat down to start class. Kyoko was riled up and could not concentrate on what was being said, so she turned her attention to the yard outside the school. When her eyes landed on a familiar form, she nearly broke out laughing. It was enough to clean the anger from her mind. She sighed deeply and went back to listing to what was being said.

At lunch time, Kyoko took the paper that Mimori had left on her desk and escaped before the idol could start harassing her again. She went down to the yard outside her classroom and stood under one of the trees. She could just make out the sleeping form of her manager hidden in the branches. There had been some storm damage to this tree and the top of the canopy was open and exposed the sleeping woman to the sky. This was how Kyoko had seen her from the building. She had reminded Kyoko of a cat.

"Hey." Kyoko called up to Catherine. The sleeping woman stirred and looked down at her charge.

"Umm… class over already?" Catherine yawned as she stretched the sleep from her body.

"No, just lunch time." Kyoko answered as Catherine shifted in the tree. "I do have something you may want to see." Kyoko rustled the newspaper. Catherine looked at it before swinging her legs loose and dropping to the ground. She took the article from Kyoko and scanned it. The paper told about the cause that was supported and a few of the faces that had come out to show support. She was pleased with the pictures of the two actors, but blushed when she saw the pictures of her and Yashiro on the steps. Her cooled anger warmed as she remembered his touch on her back. The article went on to describe the happening at the ball and showed more pictures of the dancers. Her blush deepened as she flipped through and found pictures of them dancing the tango. The photographer had been fast with the camera and gotten a really good shot of one of her kicks. The skirt had flared out behind her and it showed a lot of leg.

"Wow. They did a nice job with the article." Catherine closed the paper quickly so she did not have to look at that photo again. She was saved from having to say anymore when the lunch bell started to chime.

"I have to get back to class now." Kyoko turned and left without the paper. Catherine looked down at the thing and went to go find come coffee. She had finally calmed down enough to rest, but the pictures brought everything bubbling up. She now needed to go straighten out her thoughts again.

When Yashiro showed up at Ren's apartment that morning, he had calmed down. After he had taken a long bath, he had come to see that Ren's solution was actually the best one. It ensured the girl made it home safely while enabling her to retain her pride. He was not happy, but he had come to terms with it. Ren took note of his manager's mood and decided not to talk about it unless the older man brought it up.

Their morning was fairly normal until Yashiro stopped to pick up the tabloids. He usually did this whenever Ren had done something public. He wanted to keep an eye on what was being said about his charger. He flipped through the paper and found an article about the benefit.

"Hey Ren," Yashiro held the paper out a little. "They have an article on yesterday's event." Yashiro read highlights from it to Ren as he drove to their job site. "There is a mention about you and Kyoko here. And a really nice picture!" Yashiro admired it for a moment before looking over the next pictures. His eyes landed on the picture of him helping Catherine up the steps. Ren noticed that his manager had fallen silent as she pulled to a red light. He twisted over to see the picture that had stopped him.

"That's a nice one too." He teased his manager. Yashiro slammed the paper shut. His heart was racing as he remembered the feel of the girl's skin under his hands.

"Pay attention to the road." Yashiro chided him before opening the paper up to the next page. He scanned the pictures until he came across one of Ren and Kyoko dancing the mambo. He folded the page over so that Ren could see it at the next stop light. "This one is better." He teased back. What he had failed to see was the picture at the bottom of the page of him and Catherine doing a tango kick. When Ren looked over at his picture, he blushed. Then his eyes fell on the lower picture.

"But I like that one better." Ren pointed to the picture. "She has nice legs." Yashiro's eyes dropped to the mentioned picture. He was shocked to hear his charge say such things. He then turned a dark shade of red and sputtered when he made out what the picture was of. He quickly folded up the paper and shoved it in the bag. Ren could not help but snicker at his manager. Yashiro refused to talk to him for the rest of the trip to work. Yashiro was having a hard time sorting out his feeling about the girl.


	25. Chapter 26

Here is the next section for your enjoyment. Please let me know if there is anything that needs correcting.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.

Around three that afternoon, Kyoko and Ren both had a read-through for the police drama that Ren started in. This had been one of the jobs that Lory had given to the LoveMe girl just a few days ago. They were wasting no time getting this episode rolling. Ren and Yashiro were both slightly surprised when Kyoko and Catherine walked in for the reading. Kyoko totally forgot to mention her participation with all the excitement over the benefit.

"Good afternoon Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san." Kyoko smiled at her two friends. "I will be working with you for this episode. Please treat me well." Catherine followed her charge over, but stood silently behind her. It was easy to tell that she was still upset about the previous night.

"Good afternoon Mogami-san." Ren greeted her warmly. "I look forward to working with you again." Yashiro finished writing something in his book before greeting the young actress.

"Hello, Kyoko-chan." He turned his eyes to the silent woman behind her. "And to you Saunders-san." Ren glanced at his manager, his sudden formality worried him. Ren could almost see Catherine bristle at the formal address. She smiled politely at them.

"Good afternoon Tsuruga-san, Yashiro-san." Ren could hear her teeth grind as she spoke. "I hope you had a good night's rest." The tension between the two managers was nearly palatable.

"I sleep very well. Thank you." Yashiro smiled back at her. This was a lie; he had spent hours turning the night over in his head before he had finally gotten up without sleeping at all. The other actors were watched the pleasant exchange with caution, expecting the pair to throw down at any moment. It was like watching two cats defending their territory, lots of posturing, fluffy tails, and hissing before the real battle broke out. Kyoko looked nervously between the two not sure what to do. They had made such a lovely couple yesterday. Everyone was saved from the possible battle when the director called for the group to sit down. Since there were only places for the actors at the tables the managers were asked to wait in the lounge.

"Do well." Catherine patted Kyoko on the shoulder before turning and leaving the room. Kyoko's eyes followed the retreating woman till she disappeared through the door. Yashiro wished Ren something similar and followed the irritated woman out of the door. The two actors looked at each other not knowing what to do. Leaving the upset people alone was not a good decision, but they could not do anything about it. They took their seats and turned their minds to the work at hand.

Catherine left the meeting room to look for a quit place so cool off, Yashiro's formality had just poured gas on the fire that she was attempting to smother. All she wanted to do was get away from that room. She did not pause when she heard a familiar voice calling her name formally. It just twisted the pin their fight had placed in her heart causing the wound to bleed again. She closed her eyes and continued to walk down the hall. His legs were longer so he quickly closed the distance between them without running. She still ignored him when he called again using Kat-san. She was trying to control her anger, and his insistence was not helping. They were halfway down the hall when Yashiro reached out and grabbed her shoulder to stop her so they could talk. This had been the wrong move to use on the upset woman. As soon as his hand landed on her shoulder she snapped. Her hand flew to his wrist and before he knew what happened, he was face down on the floor with his arm bent behind him and a knee in his back. The joint lock she held him in was just shy of hurting him and he gasped for the air that was knocked from him when he hit the floor. He could feel her tremble with anger against his back as he lay still on the floor under her.

"Catherine." The use of her full name without the honorifics caused her to back off his arm a little. Yashiro continued as he felt the pressure on his joints easy. "Can we please talk?" She removed her knee from his back and dropped his arm. He rolled his head to look at her feet as she stood next to him. He did not want to move too fast and end up back on the floor. He pushed himself up to a kneeling position and looked up at the dangerous woman. She stood in a relaxed position, but looked as if she could kill him without a second thought. He swallowed hard and stood the rest of the way up. He could feel the anger in her eyes burning his skin. It was only after her display that he realized how much he had insulted her yesterday. He bowed to her and began. "I apologies for my assumptions last night, it was wrong to think one hired as a body guard would be unable to protect themselves." Yashiro continued. "I was still shaken by the incident in the president's office and forgot your station. Please forgive me." His actions through Catherine off, she had not expected this. Yashiro remained bowed to her as she took in what was happening.

"Stand up." Catherine's anger had cooled at the man's sincere apology. She sighed deeply at the pain riding behind her eyes pounded to her heart beat. Yashiro raised his head and watched as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Whatever." She waved the entire thing off and turned to continue on her way. Yashiro, confused by this reaction, stepped lively to catch up to the retreating woman. He could see that the anger had drained from her to be replaced with exhaustion. She walked down the hall with her head bent down and eyes nearly closed. "I think we were all off last night." Yashiro grunted his agreement as he rubbed the pain from his wrist. "I am sorry too for the entire misunderstanding. Let's just forget the whole ordeal." Yashiro agreed as they turned the corner into the lounge to wait for the reading to be done. Catherine pulled the newspaper out of her coat pocket and handed it to Yashiro.

"Did you see this?" Yashiro took the paper and looked at the article folded to the top.

"Yes." He flipped through the pictures again. He paused at the images of them doing the tango before drawing her attention to the two actors dancing the mambo. "Don't they look so cute together?" Catherine agreed as she sat down on the short couch along the wall. Yashiro got a canned coffee before joining her on the sofa. Now that the air was clear between them, both managers were exhausted.

"Wonderful job." The director praised the actors. "I will make sure you all have schedules for the filming in two weeks." The actors chatted for a minute before filtering out on their separate ways. Kyoko and Ren had held it together for the script reading, but they were worried about the pair that had left. Kyoko quickly gathered her things and turned to go find their managers with Ren right behind her. It did not take them long to find the pair in the lounge.

Kyoko turned the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. Ren had not noticed the sudden change in her velocity and ran into her before he could stop. He caught her before she could fall on her face. Once he was sure that his love was ok, his mind turned to what could have stopped her so suddenly. He looked over expecting to see one or both other managers dead, but the sight that meet his was completely unexpected.

The two managers were leaning against each other on the sofa, sound asleep. Catherine's head was on Yashiro's shoulder and his cheek was pressed to the top of her head. Kyoko let out a light squee at the sight, they were so cute together. She sighed longingly; it would be such a shame to wake them up. Ren pulled Kyoko back out of the lounge and shushed her protests. He had a great idea. Ren pulled out his phone and took several pictures of the pair as Kyoko giggled at him. Yashiro's phone buzzed in his pocket as Ren emailed the pictures to the sleeping man. He shifted in his sleep, but did not wake up. Kyoko smiled evilly at her senpai as the two went back down the hall to the meeting room. Ren then called his manager to wake him up. The vibration and music from the call was enough to interrupt his sleep. He slipped into his gloves without waking the woman leaning against him.

"Hello?" Yashiro stifled a yawn as he answered his phone.

"Yashiro?" Ren's voice echoed through the line. "We are done here. Where are you?" Yashiro told him. "Alright, we will be down in a minute." Both parties hung up. Kyoko giggled at Ren while Yashiro took in the woman sleeping against his shoulder.

"Kat-chan." He whispered to her. She shifted as her dream dropped away. "The reading is done." Catherine sat up and stretched.

"Sorry." She yawned as she ran her hand through her hair where it had fallen into her face. She stood up and staggered slightly to gain her balance. Her head fell forwards and she brought her hand up to rub her eyes. She pushed her hand up her face and through hair again. It paused for a moment at the back of her head as she pulled lightly on her hair to help raise her face. She sighed heavily before continuing her forward movement to the drink machines on the other side of the room. Yashiro watched her, not sure what the movements meant. She ordered a coffee so he figured that she was still waking up.

Kyoko and Ren turned the corner into the lounge to find the two managers awake. Catherine was waiting for her drink while Yashiro turned to look at the new arrivals.

"How did it go?" He stood up to meet his charge. Ren noticed that his cheek was slightly red from the time it has spent pressed to the sleeping woman's hair. Amusement filled his smile as he tried not to tease his manager.

"It went well." Ren could not help digging at his manager a little. "And how did things go with you." His eyes flashed to the woman behind his manager. Yashiro caught the movement and cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment. He rubbed his slightly stiff wrist as he thought about the answer.

"We talked." He was not going to let Ren get to him. Catherine had been listening to the conversation. She thought about telling them how she had dropped the man, but decided not to bruise his ego. That was how they got into the argument in the first place. She walked over to the group blowing on her coffee. Kyoko noticed a crease had formed on the woman's forehead, like she was thinking hard about something. Catherine covered a yawn with the back of her hand and shook herself to try to wake up fully.

"That's it for us today." Catherine sipped her coffee. She turned her attention to the young actress. "What would you like to do now?" Kyoko thought for a moment.

"How about dinner?" she suggested. The reading has taken about three hours so it was just about time to eat.

"That sounds perfect." Yashiro piped in. "Ren is also free for the evening." The taller actor shook his head slightly at his meddling manager.

"Fantastic." Catherine turned to the taller actor. "There is something I forgot about. Could you see Kyoko to dinner and home?" Kyoko was shocked at her manager's request. How could she assume that her respected senpai could be free enough to take care of her in his free time? She was about to raise a protest when Ren answered the woman.

"I would be delighted to." Ren smiled warmly at the woman. He was sure that the two managers had gotten together and arrange dinner with the young woman. But he would not complain about being asked to keep her company. Now that the evening was decided, they headed out to the cars. Kyoko walked with Ren while Yashiro followed and Catherine brought up the rear. Yashiro slipped back next to the woman.

"Can you give me a ride?" He asked Kyoko's manager. Catherine nodded lightly. Yashiro felt there was something off about the woman, but could not place it. When they reached the car park he slipped away from the actors and followed Catherine to her car. Ren did not notice their absence until he unlocked his car and turned to find the two managers missing. He laughed. Kyoko looked around to find what was funny.

"Where did they go?" She looked around worried at the absence. When her phone buzzes in her pocket, she pulled it out and looked at the text message from Catherine.

"Taking Yashiro-san to LME. See you tomorrow." She read the massage out loud to Ren. He chuckled again and shook his head.

"So what would you like to do for dinner?" Ren let the managers' actions slide for tonight. He would have his fun with them tomorrow. Kyoko decided that she would cook for them as she climbed inside his sliver sports car.

Yashiro watched the exchange between the two actors before he got into Catherine's car. He had asked her to send the text so that Kyoko would not worry about them. Catherine had only nodded and sent a short message without a word. As he sat in the car, he studied the woman concentrating on driving. She had pulled a pair of dark sunglasses from her pocket and was hiding behind them. Yashiro found this odd because the sun was setting and not very bright where they were. The color had also faded from her cheeks and she looked slightly ashen.

"Are you alright?" concern colored the man's voice. Catherine perked up slightly.

"Yes. I am just a little tired." Catherine admitted to part of the problem, but Yashiro did not believe her.

"You can just drop me off at LME." he suggested. He had hoped to spend some more time with her, but he wanted her to take care of herself.

"It's ok. I can take you home." Catherine rejected his offer. "I would hate to leave you stranded somewhere." Yashiro did not want to risk angering her again so he agreed. Catherine smiled lightly at him and turned her attention back to the road. Yashiro considered calling the president to inform him of the manager's odd behavior. He pulled his glove on and got his phone out to see that he had a missed email from Ren. He opened the mail and dropped the phone as a light blush rushed across his face. Catherine looked over at the startled man.

"Is everything ok?" Catherine's words made Yashiro blush harder and pull away from her.

"Everything is fine." He lied as his back hit the car door. 'When had Ren taken that picture? I can't let her see it!' His mind screamed as he scrambled to retrieve the fallen device. Catherine peeked over her glasses suspiciously at him. "Um, it was just some random spam mail." He tried to cover his actions. Disbelief still shown in her eyes, but she was not up to pressing the issue so she turned her attention back to the road. Yashiro closed the phone and put it back in his pocket, forgetting to make the call he had pulled it out for. He would have to take care of those pictures later. It was not long before they arrived at Yashiro's home where they said their farewells and he left the woman to take herself home. Catherine waited long enough to see that he made it inside before pulling a bottle out of her pocket. She took two of the pilled from the bottle and washed them down with the cooled coffee before starting her way home. She felt that it was going to be a long night.

Author's Note:

Thank you everyone that has enjoyed this story so far. I enjoy hearing what you think about my story, so thank you for your comments.

To Literati Lover: I understant that Mimori knows Sho, and I am sure that Sho had denied the rumors about his and Kyoko's possible engagement, but I think she is the type of girl that would really believe that Kyoko could be out to get Sho back. In her eyes, Sho is perfect, and who does not want the perfect guy. She knows that they have a history together from the time they spent together on the Prisoner PV, and she has seen how Kyoko affects Sho. In a society where arranged marriage is not a foreign idea, I can see her jumping to conclusions. Anyway, she was the perfect person to further the story line, no one else would get that upset and pick a fight with Kyoko about the pictures. Thanks for taking the time to think about my story.. I really do appreciate it.

If anyone wants to help, I have a few interesting ideas for Sho's PV, but I am torn over how to portray his character in this setting, so have avoided writing him in until now. I would like an opinion. The PV will be fun, but it would not really serve to further the story line (other than to show how Sho is reacting to Kyoko's situation), so should I leave it out or go ahead and put it in. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.


	26. Chapter 27

Hello. Here is the next part. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if you see anything wrong.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Ren woke the next morning to the sounds of this cell phone ringing. He rolled over and looked at the digital clock beside his bed. 6:47, it was almost time for him to be up. Who would be calling him this early? A short list of names crossed his mind as he groggily searched for the offending object.

"Hello." He answered without really looking at the screen. His voice was heavy with sleep.

"Good morning Ren." The voice of Kyoko's manager whispered across the line.

"Sanderson-san?" Ren questioned as he propped himself up on his elbows. Her soft voice pulled him out of his sleepy state. Her name had not even made the list of possible people to call him. "Is everything ok?"

"Ren, could I impose on you this morning?" Catherine breathed quietly into the phone. She did not sound well.

"What's wrong?" Ren sat up fully, swinging his legs from under the warm covers. He was fully awake by the time his feet hit the cold floor.

"Would it be possible for you to pick Kyoko-chan up for work today? I have a bit of a headache and will not be able to make it in." Ren could hear the pain in the manager's voice.

"Yes, I can do that. Is there anything I can do for you?" concern colored his voice as he listened to the pained woman.

"No. I was just worried about Kyoko. If you can make sure she gets to LME, I would appreciate it." Catherine whispered into the phone. Ren nodded in response.

"Sure, I would be happy to help out." Ren responded when he realized she could not see his actions. "Will you be ok?"

"Ya." Catherine laughed lightly. "I just need a little rest. Take care today."

"You too." Ren replied before hanging up. He looked at the phone for a moment. She really did not sound well. Could it only be a little headache as she said? Or was it something more? Ren quickly set about getting ready for work. Yashiro would be there in a while and he wanted to leave as soon as possible. He needed a little extra time to tend to his charge for the morning.

Kyoko was ready when Okami-san called for her to leave. She noticed that Catherine was a little later today than normal. Maybe traffic was really bad so something. She was really surprised when she came down to found Yashiro waiting at the door.

"Good morning, Kyoko-chan" Yashiro greeted her warmly. Kyoko's mind ran through all the reasons as to why he was there and Catherine was not. Seeing the concern on her face Yashiro continued, "Kat-san is ill this morning, so Ren and I are escorting you to work." Kyoko nodded slowly as she turned this information over in her mind. 'If Kat-chan was sick, why had she not called to let me know?' Kyoko wondered.

"Thank you for taking care of me today." She greeted the manager waiting for her. "What is wrong with Kat-chan?"

"Ren said it was a headache." Yashiro looked concerned at Kyoko. 'Why had Kat-chan not called to let her know about the change?' Kyoko bid Okami-san good day and followed Yashiro out to the car where Ren was waiting for them. Once everyone was settled in, Ren started off to LME. Kyoko turned her attention to the driver.

"Yashiro-san said that Kat-chan was ill. Is she ok?" Kyoko was very concerned about her manager. It was unusual for her not to contact Kyoko if there was going to be a schedule change of any kind. She even called if she was going to be a few minutes late. "She never called me this morning." Ren glanced at her in surprise. He knew how carefully Catherine was about the informing her charge of changes.

"She said it was a little headache, but I think we need to check with the Boss when we get to LME." This was the best course of action. If there was something serious that she was hiding, Lory may know what was going on. As Ren was pulling up to LME, Yashiro's phone rang. After slipping into his normal rubber gloves, he pulled out the phone and answered it. After a few words he closed it up and turned his attention to Ren.

"Speaking of the President, that was him. He asked that we need to come see him before we head to the set this morning." Yashiro returned the phone and gloves to his pocked before pulling his planer out and making a note into.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked. Yashiro shook his head.

"He did not say, just that we needed to see him as soon as we got in." Yashiro closed the book and looked up at Ren as he parked the car in the LME garage.

Lory's door swung open to reveal a darkened room. Cold moist air rolled out as the three companions made there was between stalagmites and stalactites in the realistically simulated cave that had once been an office. Lory could be seen suspended by a climbing rope over his desk. He sported full spelunking gear. As his employees made their way to the couches disguised as rocks, he dropped carefully to the floor and unhooked the rope from his climbing belt. The light from his helmet illuminated the desk in front of him. He was careful not to shine the bright light into his guests' faces.

"Welcome." He greeted his guests and seated himself at the desk. "Thank you for coming this morning." He looked at the curious faces pointed to him. He turned his attention to the tall actor waiting for him. "Ren, I am sad to inform you that your first job today has been canceled. The lead actress fell down this morning and twisted her ankle. The doctor has advised her to stay off of it for a few days." Concern crossed Ren's face. Lory raised his hand before Ren could ask. "She will be fine in a few days." Lory turned his attention to Yashiro. "The director will contact you with an advised schedule sometime this afternoon. So you two have till this afternoon off today." Yashiro pulled out his book and scribbled a note on the page by the light of Lory's helmet. Lory then turned his attention to the young lady in the room. "Kyoko-chan, your manager contacted me this morning with a very disturbing phone call. I would like you to go check on her."

"What happened?" Kyoko asked, worry creasing the young woman's face.

"I am not sure what the problem is." Lory shook his head lightly. "She said she was not feeling well, had arranged transportation for you, and hung up." The great man sighed, "I am worried about her."

"I will be happy to go check on her." Kyoko stood up to go to her manager and paused as a problem crossed her mind. "Umm… Can you tell me where she lives?" Lory smiled at the good natured woman.

"Here is her address and a spare key." Lory pushed the parcel across his desk to the LoveMe member. Before she could take it, a hand reached out and covered the offered items. Much to Kyoko's surprise, Yashiro pulled the key and paper to him.

"We will be happy to check on Kat-san with you." The manager turned to look at Ren as he nodded. They were both concerned about the strange actions of the woman. Kyoko was ready to refuse the help when she remembered her own situation. She needed someone to take her to the older woman's home.

"Thank you for your help." She bowed to the pair as they stood to start on their mission.

"Please let me know how she is." Lory called to the group as they made their way to the door. They bid there host farewell and made their way to Ren's car.

Author's notes: Just to clarify the possible inconsistencies posed by Kyoko asking for her address. I am aware that they know the building Catherine lives in, but they don't know what apartment it is. And I am sure that Lory has several spare keys for each of his chargers. He is a man prepared for anything. Thanks for reading.


	27. Chapter 28

Here is the next section. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if you find anything that needs correcting.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

It only took a few minutes before Ren parked the car outside an average looking apartment building. Even though this was a nice section of town, this was nothing like the upscale apartment that Ren lived in. Studying the building in the light of day, Kyoko was kind of surprised that LME had not supplied her protector with better accommodations. The group found Catherine's apartment on the fifth floor of the nine story building. Kyoko knocked on the door while the men stood flanked behind her. They looked around at the beige walls and tan carpets that were well maintained, but very plain. When Catherine did not open the door, Kyoko looked to Yashiro, who still had the keys.

"Maybe we should let ourselves in?" She suggested to him. Yashiro held out the keys for Kyoko to take. Turning back to the apartment door, she opened it and peered in horror at the blackness beyond the door. Concern bloomed on both Ren and Yashiro's faces as they stared into the darkened room. Kyoko looked to each man in turn before stepping into the apartment. Cold air rolled up her body as she moved into the darkness, the air conditioning must have been turned up all the way. She had a flash back to the cavern in Lory's office, the only thing missing were the cave formations. Kyoko ran her hand along the wall looking for a light switch. When she could not find one, she slipped out of her shoes in the entry way and moved farther into the apartment so that her companions could follow her in. They were dropped into near total darkness when Ren shut the door behind him. As her eyes adjusted to the low light, she looked around at room. It was a decent size living area with a sofa against one wall and an entertainment center across the room from it. A low table sat at the far end near a large window, a little light filtered around the edges of the curtain that was closed tightly over the glass. Kyoko's eyes fell on an object that she had missed earlier; it blended in to the area rug. She stepped forward to get a closer look at the dark mass on the floor.

"Kat-chan!" She gasped as she recognized the still form of her manager lying on the floor. Her exclamation and fast movement drew the attention of both men. Kyoko dropped herself to the floor next to the still woman. Catherine was crumpled face down on the carpet as if she had dropped in mid step. Yashiro knelt on the other side of Catherine's body and looked at Kyoko. When she did not response to the new arrivals, fear filled both of their faces. He reached out and picked up the woman, rolling her over into his arms. She hung limp from his grasp, but her skin was soft under his hands. Catherine's head hung loose, but Kyoko could hear the woman almost panting as they moved her. Yashiro pushed her hair back revealing a pained expression on her face. Ren circled around the group and went to open the curtain; some light would make things easier. As sunlight flooded the room, Catherine's still form came alive in Yashiro's hands. A hiss issued from the woman as she twisted into the closest dark spot she could find. This just happened to be the man holding her up. Her arms twisted around his middle and she buried her face into his soft stomach. A scream issued from the startled man as the sudden movement caused him to fall backwards onto the floor, pulling the frantic woman down on top of him. Unsure what was going on, Kyoko froze. Ren whipped around to see what had happened. He took in the new scene playing out before him and comed to a conclusion given the facts he had; the woman's violent reactions to the light, the cold air, her unresponsiveness, the strange phone call this morning. One word popped into his mind, Vampire! He smiled in spite of himself and came up with another explanation for her actions, Migraine. Ren quickly pulled the curtain closed, casting the group back into darkness. The sudden darkness returned Kyoko to her senses.

"What are you doing?" She turned to look at the man cutting off the light. "Open that back up so we can find out what is wrong." Kyoko stood up to get Ren to open the curtain again.

"I don't think that is a good idea." Ren's refusal surprised Kyoko. He came back to look at Catherine. "I think she may have a migraine." Kyoko looked back at their managers. "Help me get them up." Ren and Kyoko pulled Yashiro into a sitting position. Catherine would not relinquish her hold, so he pulled the couch apart and put the cushions behind Yashiro so the trapped man could lean against them.

"Umm… what now?" Yashiro looked down at the woman attached to his middle. Her vice-like grip held her solidly to his stomach. Fortunately it was not painful, just very unsettling. He was unsure what to do with his arms. Ren bent down and touched Catherine on the shoulder.

"Kat-chan, can you hear me?" He whispered to the woman. She nodded lightly, rubbing her face on Yashiro's stomach. The feel of her moving against him sent little shockwaves to Yashiro's brain. He dropped his left arm down to her side. Ren continued, "Do you have medications for this?" Again Catherine nodded. "Where?"

"Bathroom." Catherine pulled away from her hiding place just long enough to breathe the answer before burying herself once again in the soft warmth that was Yashiro. Ren got up to go find her medication. When he came back, Kyoko had gotten a glass of water from the kitchen. He tapped the sick woman on the back lightly.

"You're going to have to sit up to take this." Ren help the pills and water out. Catherine slowly uncurled from her position. She release Yashiro and sat up slowly, kept her eyes closed so that the movement would not upset her stomach. When she held out her hands, Ren placed the glass and pills into them. After swallowing the pills and most of the water, she held the glass out for him to take. Once relieved of the glass, she sat still for a moment. No one was sure what to do now. To everyone's surprise, Catherine laid back down on Yashiro. She paused long enough to unbutton his coat before wrapping her arms back around him and burying her face back into his stomach. He started to protest when Ren placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just bear with it." Ren smiled at the man. "She doesn't feel well." Yashiro knew it was a losing battle and resigned himself to his fate with a sigh. He shifted around enough to take his jacket off and removed his tie. Since he was going to be there for a while, he might as well be comfortable. He muttered a thank you as Kyoko took his jacket and tie and laid them over the couch arm behind him. He undid the top button of this dress shirt and rolled up the sleeves. Making a quick decision he tucked his right arm under her head and shoulder before dropping his left arm over her side. Ren stood and took the glass back to the kitchen while his manager fidgeted with his position. Kyoko followed him. She was a little uncomfortable watching the pair of managers on the floor. Now that they knew what was going on, she had time to think about the intimacy of the situation.

"Is it ok to leave her like that?" Kyoko looked back towards the immobile woman. Ren located the light switch in the kitchen and turned it on.

"We should let her be where ever she is most comfortable. Migraines can be incapacitating." Ren checked to make sure the light did not fall directly on the joined pair in the living room. "Now that she has taken the medication, rest in a quiet and dark place is the best treatment." Ren turned back to his beloved kohai. "I think it would be a good idea to think about something to eat." The look of surprise on Kyoko's face made him chuckle. She had never expected to hear him mention food this early in the day. "Not for us, for Saunders-san. She probably has not eaten since yesterday. When she finally feels better, she should be hungry." Realization creped across Kyoko face making her blush at the mistake.

"I don't know anything about migraines. What do you think she would like to eat?" Kyoko turned to the refrigerator to see what was available. She was surprised to see how closely the contents resembled Ren's refrigerator. There were two store bought rice balls still in the bag, a partial bowl of leftover spaghetti, a bottle of soy sauce, two eggs, about a half cup of milk, and a jar of apple jelly. She crinkled her nose and shut the door. Inspecting the cabinets did not lead to much either. Unless they wanted corn muffins with jelly, she was going to need to go shopping. She checked to make sure Catherine had the necessary cookware and dishes. To her surprise, there was one frying pan, a cookie sheet, a small cake pan, a kettle, and a small pot. There was, however, a nice coffeemaker and a microwave that had come standard with the apartment. How did this woman survive without cooking utensils in the kitchen? For goodness sake, there was not even a rice cooker! Kyoko did find enough dishes for one person, but none of them matched. Disgusted with her findings, Kyoko determined that they were just going to have to go shopping for some essentials.

Ren watched as she rifled through the cupboards and sighed at the inadequately stocked apartment. He could tell from the looks he caught on her face that she was mortified by the contents of the kitchen. Even his kitchen had more in it, and he did not cook. He watched as she pulled out items and put them back with distain clear on her face. A chuckle slipped out as a strange thought crossed his mind. Kyoko turned to see the cause of his mirth.

"What's funny?" She asked turning to face the taller man. Ren closed the distance between then and pulled the one chipped plate from the cabinet and handed it to Kyoko.

"I was just thinking about you trapped in a kitchen without cookware or food." Ren smiled as Kyoko studied the plate in her hands, contemplating his words. The same horrified expression slipped back over her face. "See." Kyoko sobered up and wacked him on the arm with the innocent dish as he laughed at her. They were interrupted in their fun when they heard Yashiro call from the other room.


	28. Chapter 29

I hope everyone is still enjoying the story. Here is some more for you.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Yashiro fidgeted under the sick woman as he tried to get into a more comfortable position. Kyoko had relieved him of his coat and tie before following Ren into the kitchen. Yashiro looked down at the still form wrapped around his middle. He could feel her breath penetrate his shirt making a warm pool in his side. The location Catherine had chosen to bury her face was higher than his lap, so she was supporting her weight with the arms clamped around his body. He dropped his arm down under her head and shoulder to help support her so she could relax a bit more. This position was not very comfortable for Yashiro, so he scrunched down, lifted his legs up, and placed his feet flat on the floor. This cradled the woman in the curve of his body, relieving pressure from his arm. He was happy with this position. Now that he was comfortable his mind was free to wonder.

His attention fell to the woman in his arms. He had been so busy with her health conditions that he had failed noticed what she was wearing before now. The light from the kitchen filtered in just enough to illuminate her still form wrapped in a black material that spilling around her. The silken robes that she had pulled on this morning had come untied in her agony to reveal a long strappy nightgown of the same soft silk. Yashiro froze as he realized the side was split clear to her arm and laced back to the hip. His eyes fell on where his free hand touched her side and blushed to see that his fingers had slipped into the lacing and rested on her skin under the material. He quickly pulled his fingers out and looked straight ahead. His sudden movement shook them a little and Catherine moaned lightly in protest. He returned his hand to her side, over top of the material this time, and looked down at her. Everything since they found the strickened woman had driven thoughts of the surrounding out of his mind, but now that he was calming down, he realized that it was cold in here. He could feel the near naked woman against him tremble slightly in the cold. He could hear the actors in the kitchen, Ren was giggling and Kyoko was throwing a fit.

"Ren." Yashiro called. The soft noises from the kitchen stopped and the tall actor peeked out to see what was needed of him. "It's cold in here. Could you do something about it?" Ren stepped into the room followed by Kyoko.

"Sure." Ren turned to the girl following him. "Mogami-san, could you check in the bedroom for a blanket." She nodded and turned to the only other doorway in the room. Ren proceeded to try to locate the thermostat in the dark. It took him a moment to find it, but he turned it up to a more normal temperature. Kyoko still had not come back with covers, so he followed her into the other room to find the reason.

Ren found Kyoko stopped just inside the bedroom door, her eyes frozen on the sight before her. Ren looked pass the girl to see what made the woman forget life. The room was an average size bed room with a double bed, night stand, and bookshelf. The bed was messy, as if the occupant had been thrashing around before leaving it. But this was not what had drawn the attention of the young girl. The bookshelf was a little girl's fairytale dream. The bottom shelves were filled with books and movies, but it was the middle and upper shelves that made Ren smile. The middle was filled with stuffed dragons of a variety of colors. There were other stuffed fairytale creatures mixed in, but it was the top two shelves that he was sure had caught Kyoko. The light from the window had illuminated twelve delicately detailed fairies. All wore very ornate dresses, four sat on crystal balls, four sat in crescent moons, and four danced lightly in the air. Other shapes could be seen scattered across the shelves, but the light was too low to make them out fully. Ren placed his hand on Kyoko's shoulder.

"Did you find a blanket?" His words and touch snapped Kyoko back to the real world and she blushed as she realized that she had kept the sick woman waiting in the cold room. She went quickly to the bed and picked up a woven blanked that had been knocked to the floor from the foot of the bed. Clutching it up, she returned to the living room and the waiting managers. Ren smiled and shook his head as he watched the young woman's retreat. She muttered an apology to Yashiro as she coved the scantily clad form in his lap. Yashiro thanked her and tucked the blanked around Catherine upper body before returning his hand to her side over the blanket. Kyoko blushed more and turned away from the pair on the floor. She felt like she was watching an intimate moment between the two. Her eyes fell on Ren, who was smiling gently at the scene before him. Their eyes met and she blushed even harder before retreating to the kitchen. She needed a moment to clear her head. 'That smile on Ren should be illegal.' Her demons were running in circles trying not to burst into to flames. After a few cleansing breaths, she pushed everything that had happed today away so that she could concentrate on the problem at hand. What were they going to do about lunch? They were going to have to go to the store for food, but that was not the real problem. There was nothing to cook in or eat from. She pondered this for a moment.

Ren stepped into the kitchen and watched as his heart's desire paced the length of the room and back. 'What could she be so worried about?' He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. He loved to watch her move, so fluid. On one pass she finally noticed him standing there. She posed the question that was bothering her to her audience.

"What are we going to do about lunch?" Ren nearly burst a seam trying not to laugh at the question. Of all the things she could have been focused on, food was the one she picked. Unable to completely contain his entertainment, a smile curled his lips and he pushed away from the doorway and into the room.

"We will just have to go shopping." Ren walked around to behind Kyoko and maneuvered her out of the kitchen. Kyoko let him lead her into Catherine's bed room, apologizing to the many watching eyes, he opened Catherine's closet. Kyoko stared at him in disbelief. 'What was he doing in her closet?' She got her answer when he pulled out the familiar black trench coat. He pulled out the fedora she had rolled in the pocket before laying the coat on the bed. He straightened out the soft felt hat before popping it on his head. Kyoko stifled a giggle at the sight of him in the hat. He continued searching in the closet until he came out with a gray zipper hoody with NEW YORK embroidered in four inch high letters on it. It was just large enough to fit him. He pulled it on over his dress shirt and zipped it up. This time Kyoko was unable to contain her laughter as she dropped to the floor in giggles. Yashiro looked up from where he was trapped to see Kyoko rolling on the floor laughing. He had to stifle a laugh when Ren stepped over the fallen girl into the room. He tried, and failed, to hold a serious face as the taller man squatted down next to him. As Ren got closer, Yashiro's façade broke apart and he grinned broadly at the disguise.

"You look like a tourist." Yashiro chuckled lightly. The movement caused Catherine to moan in pain. She rolled her head in the manager lap so her face was pointing up Yashiro's body. He stilled and patted her back trying to comfort her. Kyoko got up from the floor as her laughter subsided. She looked at the covered form in concern. Her face showed the pain she was in as she breathed heavily through her parted lips. Ren cleared this throat to regain the man's attention.

"We are going to head to the store to get things for lunch." Ren informed his manager. "Do you need anything before we leave?" While Ren was talking to her pillow, Catherine cracked an eye to look at the disguised man. If it was not for the pain associated with this action, she would have busted a gut laughing too. Her hat and sweatshirt really did make him look like a tourist. Yashiro shook his head and Ren stood up to head out. "We will be back in a while." He called Kyoko over and forced her into the long black coat. Yashiro grinned broadly at the sight before him. It was one time he lamented the fact that he could not get to his camera. Yashiro heard the lock click shut as the two actors left. He sighed and turned his attention back to the woman in his arms. Her face was mostly uncovered now so he studied it in the soft light from the kitchen. He pushed her hair back so he could just make out the scar on the side of her face. A reminder of the first time they met. He smiled softly as he remembered the traumatic events that had brought them together that first time. He leaned forward and laid a kiss to the soft hair at her temple. She sighed softly in response. He paused to see if she was awake. Her limp grasp and even, deep breathing led him to believe that she was asleep. He closed his eyes and relaxed under her. It was no time before he was breathing evenly in sleep. Catherine opened her eyes and looked up at the man holding her. She smiled at him through the pain before closing her eyes and letting the meds take her completely away.


	29. Chapter 30

Next chapter! I hope you enjoy it.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Kyoko locked the door behind her before dropping the apartment key into the pocket of her borrowed coat. She turned to look at her companion and almost fell over laughing again. Ren huffed before leaving her and heading to the elevator. He was suddenly worried about his disguise holding out. The oversized coat was not too out of place on the smaller woman. That fad was popular in some circles, but was his choice too much? Kyoko joined him in the elevator with an apology as the door slid shut revealing a mirrored surface. Ren nearly fell over when met with his reflection. He laughed in spite of himself. Yashiro was right; he did look like a tourist. He shook his head and slipped into his disguise. He shifted his stature to be more like an American and turned to his partner.

"What do you think now?" Ren addressed her in English. Kyoko turned to the familiar man next to her and was shocked at how much difference body position made in a disguise. He no longer looked out of place in the sweatshirt and hat. When the elevator opened back up, he walked out with a different swagger. He looked like a hoodlum and it reminded her of the way Cain had walked. Kyoko shook herself and chased after him. She slipped a little into Satsuki, but left the brother complex out of it. The coat fit this personality better then Kyoko's. Ren was pleased to see her get into her disguise. They may turn heads in there getups, but no one would recognize them.

Ren found a department store nearby that would have what they needed. Kyoko looked at the store funny; this was not a good place to get food. When she voiced her opinion, Ren smiled at her.

"And what are you going to cook food in?" He asked the confused woman. "Then what are you going to serve it on?" He got out of the car and waited for Kyoko to join him before they went inside. He led the way to the house goods department and looked around for the items he needed. When a sales clerk came up to help, Ren addressed her in English, keeping in his disguise. Kyoko laughed as her senpai tried to mimic cooking to the confused sales rep. She came over and addressed the two miming their words to each other. She almost wished she could watch them talk for a while longer, but they needed to get moving. She placed her hand on Ren's forearm.

"Let me handle this," She addresses Ren in English before turning to the sales clerk. In Japanese, "Yes, we need some cookware." The clerk bowed to them and led them to the proper section. Ren picked out a nice looking set. Kyoko wanted to refuse because of the cost. They argued in English for a minute before Kyoko had to give in. Ren was the person running this shopping trip. Next, they had the clerk show them to the flat ware sets. On the way past, Ren picked up a rice cooker to go with the pans. They spent ten minutes arguing over what dishes to get. Kyoko was looking at basic sets while Ren kept picking out elaborate ones. They both decided to agree on a mid-range set. Kyoko loved the look of the plates; they were cream with sakura petals sprinkled across one side. Ren liked that is had a wide selection of pieces that could be added to the set. The clerk came back with a cart to put their selections in. Ren made Kyoko get utensils to cook with. He also picked up a few smaller items. Kyoko kept chiding him for spending so much money. He stopped, turned to the complaining woman and glared at her.

"Don't you want to take care of the person that is taking such good care of you?" His words froze her complaints dead. These were things that Catherine would need, and they would help her get better. Kyoko shook her head in defeat and followed the happy man to check out. He almost had an issue when the clerk checked his credit card. She recognized the name on the card and refused to take it. There was no way this hoodlum was the Tsuruga Ren. She was about to call her manager over when he finally produced his identification and took off his hat for a moment. It was only after he spoke to her properly that she finally believed him. He apologized for his antics, signed an autograph for her, and left with his new cookware. Once safely in the car, the two actors looked at each other and busted out laughing. Their cover was blown by an attentive cashier. Ren calmed himself as he prepared to go get the food. Kyoko could not stop her mirth, every few minutes she would break into a case of the giggles. She was still sporting a large grin when they arrived at grocery store.

"What should we get?" Kyoko asked as they walked into the store. She picked up a basket and looked to the tall man with her. Ren thought for a moment.

"Well, Saunders-san could have an upset stomach so we should stick to something fairly bland for her." Ren looked down at his companion, "Otherwise, whatever you feel like cooking." Kyoko nodded to him and they made the rounds of the store. Kyoko started picking things up and putting them in the basket. Ren took the basket from her when she started comparing the produce. She started to protest his help, but he refused to relinquish their growing pile. "You know what to get. I can at least carry it." Once Kyoko had enough food for the four people, Ren took it to the register and paid for it. After loading it in the car, they started back to Catherine's apartment. Ren's phone started to ring during the drive back. He pulled it out and the color drained from his face. He handed it to Kyoko to answer. She looked at the number and saw it was the president. With all that had happened they had forgotten to call him. Kyoko opened up the phone and answered it.

"Hello Takarada-san." She closed her eyes as the eccentric man fired off questions at her.

"How is Saunders-san? Is she ok? Why have you not called me? It has been several hours since you left. Why are you answering Ren's phone?" Kyoko listened to him wined down. That last question held something more than worry in it. Did she hear hope in his voice?

"I apologize for not calling you sooner. We went shopping for lunch and lost track of the time." Kyoko was not going to tell him that they had forgotten to call him. "Kat-chan has a migraine. Yashiro-san is with her now. Ren is driving us back." Lory perked up as he heard that the managers were alone together. There were possibilities there. "She did not have enough in her kitchen, so Ren has gotten her a few essential items." Kyoko still wondered how anyone could live with no pans in the kitchen. "Once we get back, I am going to make lunch for everyone. Ren made Catherine take her medication before we left, so I hope she is feeling well enough to eat."

"Very well. Please keep me informed." Lory thanked her and hung up. 'A migraine?' he thought to himself. He was not aware that she was prone to them. He would have to ask her about it when she was better.

Kyoko hung up Ren's phone and let out the breath that she had been holding. That went better then she expected. Ren parked the car and pocketed his phone. After looking at their haul, they both decided that they should not try to take it up all at once. Ren grabbed the dishes, while Kyoko got the box with the pans in it.

The room was still dark when Kyoko opened it up. The temperature had come up, so it was less cave-like than the last time they entered. The pair walked in and stopped at the sight before them. The two managers were both sound asleep in the same place as before. Catherine was no longer buried in Yashiro's stomach. She had shifted up so she her body was lying across him and her head fell on his chest. Yashiro had his cheek resting on top of her head, his arms wrapped completely around her. Ren took the dishes into the kitchen and came back out with his phone. It took a couple of tries in the dark room, but he did finally get a good picture of the sleeping pair. With a few buttons he sent the picture off to the one person who would appreciate it the most, Lory. Kyoko blushed at the intimate scene before them. She hissed at Ren as he was taking the pictures. After he sent to pictures, he left to get the rest of the shopping. Kyoko went to cleaning the new dishes so she could start lunch.

The cell phone on the desk top buzzed as a new message arrived. Lory dropped the paperwork he had been trying to read back into its file and rubbed his eyes before retrieving the interrupting object. He really hadn't wanted to read the follow up report on the rumors. He had a team of independent detectives checking out the facts to make sure that they were correct. All leads headed back to the same source, but why would this person want to ruin Sho or Kyoko. It did not make sense. The last set of rumors had gotten Kyoko attacked. Lory paused for a second as a horrible idea crossed his mind. He scribbled new instructions for the detectives before turning his attention to the phone in his hand. Thumbing it open he clicked into the message and let out a happy noise as the picture of the cuddling managers popped up. In no time at all, Lory had transferred the picture to his computer and was happily clicking away adjusting the image. This was definitely better then dealing with depressing reports.


	30. Chapter 31

Here is the next section. I hope you enjoy it

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat**!

Catherine woke to the sound of water running in the other room. Her headache was not as bad, but it had not gone completely away yet. She was warm and comfortable, so she was reluctant to move to see who was in her home. As she pondered her situation, she slowly became aware of the heartbeat sounding beneath her. She was on the wrong side of the chest for it to be loud, but it was very soothing. She sighed contently, than it hit her… heartbeat. She stiffened a little as she forced herself to become more aware of her surroundings. Warm arms wrapped around her, a weight rested on top of her head, and a pleasant mix of soap and skin filled her nose. She cracked her eyes just enough to see the white dress shirt under her head. A soft lght fell across her from behind and she heard another person enter her apartment. She remained relaxed and listened to see if she could determine what was going on. She heard the new comer close and lock the door before slipping out of their shoes. The crunch of heavy paper accompanied the person as they walked quietly through the living room. She heard things being place on the kitchen counter. She sighed in relief as she recognized the soft voices issuing from the kitchen.

"That's the last of the groceries." Ren spoke quietly so as not to wake the pair in the other room. He walked over and picked up Catherine's coat from the table where Kyoko had placed it. "I'm going to go put these up." He pulled the hat off his head and unzipped the sweatshirt.

"It's a shame that Kat-chan was unable to see you in that getup, she would have loved it." Kyoko smiled as he shook his head and left the room. He returned the borrowed items back to their proper location in the bedroom. Ren stopped in the door and looked at the pair again. It was such a shame that he did not have a proper camera for moments like these. He returned to the kitchen where Kyoko was just finishing up the last of the pans. Before she could start on the dishes, Ren stepped between her and the box.

"Let me wash these dishes." Kyoko opened her mouth to disagree, but Ren continued before she has a chance to. "Why don't you start lunch?" Her protests died one her lips. She nodded and started in on the bags while Ren took the box of dishes and cooking utensils to the sink and set to cleaning them, both unaware that they had an audience. Kyoko emptied the bag on the counter to be filed away into cabinets. As she spun around, her eyes landed on the silent figure standing in the doorway. She eeped loudly before she recognized the form of her manager. Catherine groaned at the sound. Ren turned to see what was going on.

"Kat-chan, please don't scare me like that." Kyoko went to the woman to see if she could help.

"Sorry. I just wanted to see who was in my kitchen." Catherine leaned on the smaller woman. She helped the unsteady woman back out to the living room. Kyoko settled the woman on the only cushion left on her couch while Ren followed them out with a glass of water. "Thank you." She took the water and sipped it.

"Sorry for the intrusion," Ren apologized to her, "The president asked that we check up on you." Catherine nodded lightly.

"I was afraid that I did not make myself clear when I called him." Catherine shut her eyes and breathed slowly. "Thank you for coming to check on me, but why are you guys not at work." Catherine looked at Ren and the sleeping man on the floor. He had not moved since she got up.

"There was a problem with one of the actresses and filming was canceled today." Ren explained. "We brought Mogami-san over." Catherine thought about that for a moment trying to process his words through the pain. That would explain their appearance here. Catherine leaned back against the couch. She was regretting moving from her human pillow. Unfortunately, it would be improper for her to curl back up with him now that she had moved. She thanked them again and sat up to take another sip of the water.

"I think I should go lie down again." Catherine handed the glass back to Ren and tried to stand up. She was overcome by a wave of dizziness and dropped back to the couch. Her impact with the couch shook it enough to wake Yashiro. His eyes popped open and he looked around startled. He froze when his eyes landed on the group next to him. It took him a moment for his sleep addled brain to process what was going on. When it clicked he yawned and stretched.

"Hey." Yashiro said to the group as he sat up. "Are you feeling better?" He turned to face the woman sitting on the couch.

"A little." She breathed the words and attempted to stand up again. "I think I should go lie down for a while." Kyoko steadied her as she started her way to the bedroom. Yashiro watched her be led away. His heart ached to see her still in pain. Ren watched his manager as he followed the pair with his eyes. Ren chuckled at the look on the older man's face. Yashiro turned at the sound.

"What's funny?" He asked the tall man standing next to him.

"You like her, don't you. " Ren made it more a statement then a question. Yashiro was taken aback by this statement. He was set to protest, but the words died on his lips. Did he like her? Yashiro settled for a deep sigh.

"She is definitely intriguing." Yashiro hung his head and shook it. Ren smiled at his manager and left to take the glass back to the kitchen. Yashiro picked himself up from the floor and was rebuilding the couch when Kyoko came out of the bedroom. She closed the door to a small crack and when into the kitchen to finish lunch. Yashiro stood and stretched again, he was stiff from sitting for so long on the floor. After the living room was repaired and the abandoned blanker was fold neatly, Yashiro joined the two actors in the kitchen. He was surprised at the mess he found. There was a pile of boxes and packing along the wall. Ren was at the sink washing what looked to be new dishes and Kyoko was in the process of setting up a new rice cooker.

"Wow. You guys have been busy." Yashiro walked over to see if there was anything he could help with. "Did you guys buy all of this?" He picked up a towel and started drying the dishes that Ren was cleaning. He was not sure where they went so he sat them on the counter.

"We had to." Kyoko explained. "Kat-chan didn't have any dishes or pans in her kitchen. Yashiro almost dropped the plate that he was drying. How could this woman have been in Japan for so long and not gotten any dishes? He reached up and opened the cabinet in front of him to find it mostly empty. There were two large mugs and three glasses. "There all like that." Kyoko commented to the look of disbelief on his face. Yashiro sighed and found a place in the empty cabinets to put the new dishes. The three continued to work in the kitchen until everything was clean, put away, and lunch was cooking.

Kyoko smiled at the gleaming metal of new pots as she stirred their contents. Lunch was almost ready. Yashiro was just finishing transforming apples into bunnies when she turned to get the serving dishes for the rest of the meal. She had been slightly surprised when the dignified man had taken the paring knife and set to work sculpting the fruit. When asked about the talent, he had told her that his mother had often made them for him when he was younger. Ren was not as skillful in the kitchen, so he busied himself with preparing tea for the group. As he waited for the water to boil, he turned his attention to the empty room behind him. He was curious to see what the apartment would say about Catherine's personality in privet.

Yashiro noticed Ren slip into the living room and dropped his knife in the sink before following the actor into the adjoining room. Ren had made his way over to the couch where a lamp stood on the end table. He turned it on and stepped back in surprise as the light cast a silhouette on the cream shade. His eyes popped up to the small head and arms hooked over the edge of the shade. Ren let out a small laugh as the multi-colored wings of the fairy statuette stained the lamp shade breath-taking colors. He thought of the girl cooking in the kitchen, she would love this. Yashiro came over to see what had caused Ren's reaction.

"Mogami-san." Ren called to the missing actress. "Could you come here for a moment?" He knew that he really should not pull her from her cooking, but he really wanted to share this delight with her.

"Be right there." She answered from the kitchen. Lunch was done cooking so she turned off the stove and went to see what her senpai wanted of her. As she walked into the room, she looked at the object that had caught the attention of both men. Joy overtook her as her eyes found the small resident in the lamp. Having completely forgotten about the food cooling in the kitchen, she admired the fay before turning her attention to the other items on the table. A thick red-leather bound volume sat just under the lamp. Kyoko ran her fingers over the title embossed in gold-leaf. It read "The Lord of the Rings" in English. The two men stood back and watched as the young actress became familiar with a side of her manager that she did not know.

As the actress roamed around the room, her eyes took in other things that gave her hints about the mysterious woman asleep. On the wall above the couch was a framed hand-drawing of the canopy of a tree. The colors were light and airy giving the room a peaceful feeling. A large branch cut through the middle of the scene. It took Kyoko a few moments of study to find the small dragon hidden on the branch. Next her eyes turned to the intricately woven Persian rug on which they had discovered Catherine earlier. Its soft expanse filled the area between the couch and the entertainment center. A modest television was placed in the space where a much larger one could have fit. Kyoko looked at the display that graced the top shelf. A plastic model of a naval vessel sat on a stand surrounded by three pictures of American sailors in dress blue uniforms. Kyoko looked at the flat deck of the ship before reading "USS Enterprise (CVN 65)" on the nameplate. A closer inspection of the pictures revealed two boys and a girl. It was obvious that one of the boys and the girl were siblings, and they both resembled Kyoko's manager. Kyoko made to note to ask Catherine about the tribute when she was feeling better.

Kyoko had to smile when her eyes fell on the next shelf. A picture of Kuu and a beautiful woman, that could only be Julie, graces a silver frame. Ren had been watching his love investigate the room with soft eyes. The look changed as his eyes fell on the recent picture of his parents. He quickly scanned the rest of the shelves for the possible incriminating evidence that could have been there. He sighed in relief when he did not find the picture he was looking for. Yashiro noticed the sigh and took it for something else as he escaped into the kitchen to give the couple time alone. Kyoko's attention left the picture as her eyes scanned over the small pieces of pottery and a jar filled with small paper cranes before coming to focus on the last open shelf. This one was filled with movies. She ran her finger over the ends of the cases as she read the English titles: Hudson Hawk, Die Hard, Tremors, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal. Her hand froze on the next case and she withdrew it from the rest. Her eyes ran over the palindromic title picture of 20th anniversary edition of the "Princess Bride" as she flipped the case over and read it in the other direction. Sheer joy filled the girl as she read the short description on the back of the box. Her mind spun away into a romantic fairytale until Ren's hand on her shoulder pulled her back to the real world.

"Sorry." He apologized for disturbing her. "I think it's time we get lunch." Kyoko gasped at the realization that she had totally forgotten about the food. She quickly put the movie back before stammering her apology and rushing to the kitchen to salvage the cooling meal. Ren followed her as a slower place. They were both surprised to find that Yashiro had dished up the repast and set it out on the small table in the kitchen. He had also plated up the vegetable porridge and apple bunnies to take into Catherine. These were setting on the lacquered tray Ren had gotten with some tea and water.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Yashiro asked the pair as he finished arranging thing on the tray for Catherine. Both actors blushed lightly as they realized they had been caught going through the sick woman's person life.

"There were several things that caught Kyoko's attention." Ren teased the young woman. Kyoko glared at him before turning to the tray Yashiro had just finished preparing.

"You two sit and eat. I will take this in to Catherine." The embarrassed teen lifted the tray and escaped from the teasing men before they could say anything else to her.


	31. Chapter 32

Here is the next section for you. I hope you enjoy it.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.

Kyoko tapped lightly on Catherine's bedroom door before prodding it open. Catherine was still lying quietly on the bed in the darkened room.

"Kat-chan?" Kyoko whispered softly to the sick woman as she carried the tray to her bedside. Catherine rolled over and looked at the intruder with sleepy eyes. The pain that had been so deeply etched into her face earlier had eased.

"Hey." Catherine spoke softly to her young friend as she registered the guest in her room.

"I brought you something to eat." Kyoko waited for Catherine to settle herself in a sitting position before placing the tray over her lap. Catherine reached over and turned on the bedside lamp so she could inspect the offering brought to her. Catherine had draped several colorful silk scarves over the lampshade, so the room was flooded with a variety of colors. It was just enough to see by, but not enough to dazzle the eyes. Kyoko looked around at the amazing effect of the light. Her eyes were drawn to the bookshelf and the amazing things it contained. Catherine looked up from her food to see the young woman enthralled with her bookcase. She suppressed a light laugh as she watched the girl being drawn in by the magical creatures hidden within its depths.

"Go on." Catherine encouraged the girl to take a closer look. "They will not hurt you." Kyoko turned to look at the amused woman on the bed. She spoke about the stuffed creatures as if they were alive. Catherine just smiled and sampled the porridge on her lap. Having been given permission, Kyoko stepped closer to the fanciful objects before her. She did not know where to begin, the hanging fairies beckoned to her, but it was the small ball of fur at eye level that pulled her in first. Two shinny eyes and a cute little nose could just be made out in the fur. They sat above a cute little mouth with triangular clothe teeth. Kyoko reached her hand out to touch the small creature and paused just above the soft fur. She looked back to Catherine once more before disturbing the delicately placed item. When Catherine nodded her approval to the actress, Kyoko plucked the ball like animal from the shelf. A long tail hung from the back side and four cute little feet adorned it belly. Kyoko gave the overly cute animal a hug before petting the fur back into place. The girl turned to look at Catherine when she let out let out a light laugh. "Bring FizzGig here." Catherine held out her hand for the ball of fur. Kyoko looked at the now named creature and handed it over to its owner. Catherine took the cute thing and slid her finger between the sharp looking cloth teeth. The sounds of Velcro releasing filled the room as the mouth of the animal parted. Kyoko watched in wonder as the small cute ball split in half to reveal a huge mouth filled three rows of the teeth. Catherine made some cute animal noises as she made the plushy chew on the corner of the lacquered tray containing her meal. Kyoko laughed at the cuteness and Catherine tossed the small animal back to her, its mouth hung open as it flew. She caught it easily and turned it over in her hands. She opened and closed the mouth before returning it to its place on the shelf

The other creatures on that shelf could only be described as goblins. Their faces were wrinkled and the clothing was mismatched. They looked like they had walked right out of a story book. The one piece on this shelf that confused the young woman was the anthropomorphic worm. It's blue tinged pink skin and blue tuffs of hair were broken by the large golden eyes and red scarf around its neck. Catherine let out a sigh as she realized that Kyoko did not recognize any of the creatures decorating her room. She decided that introductions were in order.

"The small ball of fur is FizzGig from the movie 'The Dark Crystal'." Catherine started where the young actress had. Kyoko recognized the name from the dvd cases in the living room. "Those are goblins and the worm from 'Labyrinth'. The large fairies are done by Nene Thomas. And the dragons are collected from different Renaissance festivals." Kyoko looked at each article as Catherine explained what they were. Kyoko was confused by the English word that Catherine had use and turned to question her.

"Renaissance festivals?" She was not sure what the woman meant. Catherine sat the tray father down the bed before getting out from the warm covers and pulling her robe back on. She retrieved a photo album from her shelf and settled back to the bed motioning for Kyoko to join her. Once comfortable she flipped the book open to a section with pictures of men and women in medieval clothing.

"Renaissance or medieval European fair." Catherine tried to explain it better. She was not sure what the Japanese words would have been, but it was obvious from the pictures what went on at these fairs. There were pictures of jousting men on horse and ladies in corseted dresses. Kyoko's eyes glazed over as she imagined what it would be like to wear a corset. Catherine followed Kyoko's eyes to the ladies dresses and flipped a page to a different set of pictures. This one contained a woman in a blue satin corset with a black gunmetal pattern on it. Kyoko's mouth dropped open as she recognized the face of her manager. Catherine smiled at her shock and hopped off the bed, leaving Kyoko to support the picture book.

Catherine rummaged in the closet for a moment before pulling out a plastic storage tub. She withdrew a long cream colored underdress. The same floor-length blue skirt in the picture came out next followed by the blue and black material of the corset. Catherine laid it on the bed so that Kyoko could get a better look at it. Kyoko giggled as she picked up the stiff article of clothing and held it up for a better look.

"Would you like to try it on?" Catherine voiced the desire floating in Kyoko's brain. Shocked that her manager had read her mind she stammered before refusing. "Come on. I think it would look good on you." Catherine relieved Kyoko of the corset before shutting the door and picking up the chemise on the bed. "Put this on first." Catherine handed the cream colored material to her. Kyoko took it reluctantly. "Humor me." Catherine pressed the young woman to change again. Kyoko agreed and stripped off her shirt and pants before slipping the material over her head. The long sleeved dress was very baggy and the neck line was so lose that it looked like it would fall completely off if she was not careful. "You will need to remove your bra. You will not need it with the corset." Kyoko nodded and slipped out of the unnecessary article of clothing. Catherine helped Kyoko slip the skit down over the dress before splitting the corset at the metal clips in the front. Catherine wrapped the stiff apparel around Kyoko and fastened it into place before stepping back. The corset was not at all what Kyoko had imaging them to be. This one was lose and almost comfortable. "Now lean forward." Kyoko did what she was told. To her extreme surprise, Catherine reached down the front of the corset and readjusted the way her chest sat inside it. Kyoko let out a startled cry as she stood up quickly. Catherine turned her around and proceeded to tighten the laces before Kyoko could protest any more.

Ren and Yashiro had sat down to eat their meal as Kyoko went to care for Catherine. It was not long before the guys could hear the soft voices of the two women issuing from the bed room.

"It sounds like Catherine is feeling better," Ren comment to his lunch companion. Yashiro agreed as he helped himself to the meal in front of them. Shortly giggles could be heard coming from the room. This made both men curious. What could be so funny? It was Kyoko's startled cry that caused both men to find their feet and bolt to the room containing the two women.

The door swung open violently as Ren hit it as a dead run with Yashiro hot on his heels. The pair came to a screeching halt when both Catherine and Kyoko turned to look at them in confusion. Ren's heart started beating again as he realized that everything was ok. Then it started beating erratically as he noticed the outfit that Catherine was lacing his love into. Catherine recovered and finished tightening the strings on the back of the corset before turning her captive around and readjusting the positioning of the chemise underneath. Ren could not take his eyes off of the girl as he watched the edge of the creamy material slip below the level of the Victorian corset leaving just the points where the sleeves attached hanging out. He had never seen that much skin on Kyoko's back and shoulders showing at one time. Catherine finished smoothing down her skirt before turning the girl around to face the frozen men.

Ren almost fainted as the blood rushed from his head. It was surprising that his nose had not sprung a leak and flooded the room with the red liquid. Kyoko's chest was bared clear to the top of the corset that pressed her small bosom up creating quite a bit of cleavage. Due to its tightness, the corset caused her chest to heave with every breath. Yashiro squeed at the sight of the young actress in the revealing clothing. The noise gave Ren enough of a jolt so he was able to drag his eyes away from her. He needed a moment to regain his control before he scoped the young girl up and took her someplace more privet. It did not help that the blush on her face was racing down to color her chest as well. He needed something… ANYTHING…. to focuses on other than his desire standing in very revealing clothing just outside of his reach.

"You look fantastic." Yashiro broke the growing tension. Kyoko thanked him and bowed slight in gratitude. This served to give the taller actor a better view of the girl's cleavage as his nose started bleeding for real. Kyoko looked to her senpai for approval but was washed over with concern when she noticed the blood.

"Tsuruga-san, you're bleeding." Kyoko stepped closer to see where the blood was coming from as Ren's hand flew up to cover the liquid running down his face. Yashiro turned in surprise to see Ren pull a bloodstained hand way from his face. Much to Ren's chagrin, Kyoko lost all sense of herself as she gathered up the flustered actor and escorted him to Catherine's bathroom to staunch the flow. Yashiro walked into the room and stopped standing next to Catherine. They were in just the right place to see the actress fuss over the dismayed actor. He was barely keeping it together as she stood very close in front of him pinching his nose. If he had been able to tilt his head forward, his eyes would have been on a perfect level with her exposed cleavage. Catherine retrieved her phone from her bedside and took a few good pictures of the pair before slipping the device into the pocket of her dressing gown.

"Let's leave them be." Catherine gave a little tug on the seam where Yashiro sleeve met his shirt. He nodded in agreement without looking away from the couple in the bathroom. Having broken the awed man's trance, she turned and picked up the lacquered tray with the remains of her lunch on it before heading out of the bedroom. Dwelling on the thoughts of the things those two could accomplish in the next few minutes, Yashiro followed her from the room; his eyes only left the couple when he stepped out of the line of sight. He could only hope that Ren would man up now that he was given this chance. Now that he did not have the cute couple to concentrate on, his eyes turned to the silk clad woman leading the way to the kitchen. His heart pounded as he remembered the feel of that robe under his hands. He watched her paused for a moment as she passed from the dark of the living room to the bright light of the kitchen.

"Are you feeling better?" Yashiro addresses his companion. Catherine sat the tray on the counter before turning to the man following closely behind her.

"Yes. Thank you." Catherine leaned slightly against the counter and addressed the floor just to the right of where Yashiro was standing. She felt slightly awkward by his concern for her. Her mind kept bringing up images of her using this man as a pillow earlier. Her heart sped up as he raised his hand to her cheek and drew her eyes up to meet his. He studied her face for a long moment; signs of the passing migraine could still be seen lightly etched around her eyes. She could see worry and heat rise in his eyes as he slowly closed the distance between them. Her rapid breathing and slightly parted lips where the only think in his mind when his progression was halted by the voice of the young girl calling for the woman in front of him. Catherine woke from the trance she was in and slipped, blushing, from his grasp to answer the girl's call. Yashiro dropped his hand to the counter where the woman had been and leaned against it and sighed. He slid his free hand up under his glasses to rub his eye before pulling the glasses off completely and rubbing a knuckle into his eye. 'What am I doing?' he chided himself trying to regain his control. 'I really should not be doing this, even if she looks so good in that night gown.' Fresh images of her lying in his armed with the lacing up the side of her gown showing swam into his mind. He shook himself and proceeded to splash cold water from the sink on his face. It was just enough to help cool his head.


	32. Chapter 33

Here is more fun for you to read. Thanks for sticking with me.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Kyoko sat her bleeding senpai down on the toilet in the bathroom as she grabbed a handful of tissues from the counter and pressed them to his nose. She was surprised at how much blood was flowing down his face. She made him tilt his head back and pinch the gushing orifice closed. Ren was doing his best to not look at the source of his troubles as the corset clad woman busied herself trying to clean the blood from him. He did chance a peek at her, but all he could see was her cleavage as she bent over tending to his ailment. A wave of dizziness came over him and he grabbed for the close thing that would keep him from falling over. His hand landed on the corset clad waist of the young woman in front of him. Unable to control his desire anymore, he pulled the young girl down with a squeak to sit straddling his lap. Thankful there was enough material in the skirt that it did not bind her uncomfortably. Wrapping her in his arms, he dropped his head to her shoulder and breathed in her scent through the metal tang of the blood still filling his nose.

Kyoko froze when she landed on her senpai's lap unexpectedly. Her heart pounded at his closeness, but she was desperately trying to convince herself that it was due to the sudden drop and had nothing to do with her feelings or the man she was wrapped in. She had gotten use to his closeness when they were the Heel siblings, but this was different. Without the protection of Setsuki, this was more personal. She felt his warm breath tickle across her chest as her grudges fought a losing battle with her angles for control of the locks on her heart. It was the addition of the warm droplets on her chest that broke her from her inner conflict and reminded her that the man before her was still losing blood. Melting from her shock, she pushed Ren's head back and away from her shoulder so she could assess how bad the man was still bleeding.

Ren kept his eyes closed while Kyoko raised his head up and pressed the tissues back to his face. He breathed slowly through his mouth trying to slow his thundering heart and stabilize his betraying blood pressure. He knew he had to regain his control before he did something that would scare the girl in his arms. After a few minutes, Kyoko pulled the tissue away from his face to see that the blood had stopped. Ren, regretfully, let his arms slip from around the girl as she rose to looked for something hardier to clean the drying blood from his upper lip and cheeks. She hissed as she realized that she had managed to get blood on the cream fabric of her borrowed chemise during their intimate moment. Kyoko's call for help was met with an immediate response from her blushing manager.

"Can I help?" Catherine stuck her head in to bathroom to see bloody tissues everywhere. Her eyes caught the running drops of blood on the young actress's chest. She quickly turned and pulled out a white hand towel in answer to Kyoko's unvoiced request. The acting nurse took the offering and soaked on end in the sink before gently wiping the actors face off. Ren had steadied himself enough to open his eyes. His heart nearly jumped from his chest when his eyes found the red drops running across Kyoko's white skin. He used one of the tissues to remove the blood before it could stain the satin cloth of her corset. Kyoko stiffened slightly at his actions, but relaxed when she realized what he was doing. Ren's nose had stopped bleeding, but the damage was done to his shirt and one of Kyoko's sleeves.

"I am so sorry!" Kyoko apologized to Catherine as she finished cleaning Ren up. "I got blood on your dress."

"Don't worry about that." Catherine waved across in front of her as if waving the young girls worries away. "It will wash out. Is he going to be ok?" Catherine turned Kyoko's attention back to the man she was tending. Kyoko looked at his face and swallowed hard as she recognized 'The Emperor of the Night' staring out at her. She quickly turned her attention away as her grudges tried to shield there mistress from the man's heated look.

"I think so, but I am worried about the blood loss." Kyoko looked at all the bloody tissues and towel that littered the counter and floor of the bathroom.

"Why don't you go take that off so I can rinse out the blood." Catherine knew that being away from the attractive girl would do a lot to help Ren's condition. "I will stay with Tsuruga-san until he feels a little better. I think some tea will do us all a little good." Kyoko agreed before turning to change.

"Umm… Kat-chan, could you help me out of this?" Kyoko indicated that she needed Catherine to untie her. After losing the strings and showing the young woman how to split the front open, she turned back to the troubled actor and shut the door.

"Too much?" Catherine teased the man that was now cradling his head in his hands. Watching Catherine stripping the young woman in the doorway had been hard on Ren's shattered self-control. Ren still had not found his voice so he just shook his head affirmative. "I don't seem to remember you being this easily flustered by women." Catherine continued as she started to collect the bloody tissues into the waste basket. Ren pinned the teasing woman with a dirty look. Catherine snickered and raised her hands in submission before apologizing "I am sorry that my amusement caused you such grief." Ren let out a heartfelt sigh at the sincerity of her words. "If I had known it would have caused such trouble, I would not have made her dress up." Ren had regained his composure and was sitting up properly now. "Although I think your manager loved it." She teased.

"It's a good thing that he did not have his camera with him." Ren finally found his voice as he thought about what his manager would do with pictures of Japan's top male celebrity having a nose bleed over a girl. Catherine smiled and made a mental note to send those pictures to the bespectacled man later. She blushed again as the encounter in the kitchen with the male manager filled her mind. She busied herself with cleaning up before Ren could notice the reddening of her ears. It was only a few minutes more until Kyoko knocked on the bathroom door to let the trapped residence know that she was done changing. After setting the sleeve of the chemise into the sink to soak, the three friends left for the kitchen.

Yashiro had busied himself with cleaning up the pans from lunch. What was left of the meal was still setting out, mostly untouched. Catherine looked at the cold food as a twinge of regret of her actions stabbed her. She had interrupted the afternoon meal that Kyoko had worked hard to make.

"I'm so sorry." Catherine apologized for her actions. "You guys did not get to finish your lunch."

"It's ok." Kyoko stepped up and reheated the food in Catherine's microwave. She did not like using these devices, but it would work to save this meal. The four people sat to enjoy the fruits of Kyoko's labor. Catherine choose to have some of the dished here with the apple bunny slices verse the vegetable porridge that had been made for her. Kyoko got Ren to eat more with the excuse that he need more protein because of his blood loss.

"These are so cute!" Catherine gushed as she munched on the bunnies from her plate. Yashiro smiled at her as she picked up one of the bunnies and made it bounce around her plate before popping it in her mouth. "Where did you learn to make these?" Catherine posed the question to the female that had been cooking in her kitchen.

"Yashiro-san made those." Kyoko corrected Catherine's mistake. The older woman met the artist warm eyes with surprise. Her look quickly softened to gratitude as she thanked him for taking such good care of her.

"I do have one question." Catherine finished the last of her bunnies as she addressed the group in general. "Where did all this come from?" Catherine indicated the plates and cooking dishes that had not been in her kitchen when she went to bed last night. "Don't get me wrong. I appreciate that you came to take care of me, but who does this belong to?" Ren stepped up to answer that question.

"Well, there was not enough stuff in the kitchen to make lunch, so we got you some essentials." Ren busied his eyes with the tea in his cup before looking up at the shock plain on the woman's face.

"You mean you bought all of this stuff for my kitchen?" Catherine's disbelieve shown plain on her face. Her eyes ran the kitchen to take in all the items that were new: the rice cooker, the pan, the dishes, even the lacquered tray from lunch. "Tsuruga-san, Kyoko-chan, Yashiro-san. How can I ever repay you for your kindness?" An idea crossed Yashiro's mind, but he shook the lewd thought away before giving it voice.

"Just keep Kyoko safe." Ren answered as he turned soft eyes to the young girl next to him. Kyoko blushed as Ren used her name without honorifics. She blamed the slip up on his loss of blood before getting up to clear away the dishes. Yashiro eyes widened at the development between the reluctant couple. Catherine could feel the waves of giddiness rolling off him He took a breath to comment on this when Catherine interrupted him before he could start.

"Of course I will continue to keep Kyoko safe." Catherine glared at the manager to shut up. Ren had not noticed this for his mind and eyes were trained on the woman clearing away the mess. "But that is my job. I feel I need to repay you for this." Ren dragged his eyes away from his love and focused on the woman at the table. Catherine's brow furrowed as she tried to come up with a suitable reward for their kindness. Ren was about to deny the need for repayment again when Catherine waved her thoughts away. "I will think of something nice." Any more discussion of the issue was prevented by the sound of Yashiro's phone ringing in the other room. He excused himself to answer the object while Catherine took the rest of the plates to sink to be washed.

Ren watched the two women navigate the kitchen with easy. They moved with the grace of dances as they stepped around each other to get all of the dishes and pans cleaned and stowed in their new home. His attention was caught by a slight creak of wood and turned to see his manager leaning against the door frame watching the women work. Ren was slightly surprised to see the same look he secretly turns toward Kyoko on Yashiro's face as the manager's eyes followed the woman in the black robe. 'Could it be he likes Catherine?' Ren turned the meaning and possibilities over in his head. When the two workers finished their task, they turned to look at the men occupying the room.

"So what do you have planned for this afternoon?" Catherine questioned the men. She knew Kyoko only have LoveMe work today.

"Ren has a modeling shoot at 4 that should last till 8," Yashiro answered as he pushed off the doorframe and stepped all the way into the room. Catherine glanced at the clock on the wall to read the time of almost 2. "We will need to be going in a little while so that Ren can find a clean shirt." Eyes dropped to Ren's front where small drops of blood were evident on the expensive fabric. Guilt riddled Kyoko at the fact that she had not cleaned the stains from his shirt. She was about to apologize for her oversight when Ren laughed.

"I really must be more careful." Ren dabbed at the dried blood before standing up. "Well then, let us be on our way." The group made their way from the kitchen to the living room so things could be gathered.

"Since Kyoko-chan does not have anything else to do. If she would like to stay here, I can take her home later." Catherine offered. Kyoko was thrilled by the idea of hanging out at Catherine's house, but was troubled by the idea of making the sick woman take her home later.

"I can't make you take me home. You're not feeling well." Kyoko started to refuse the offer, but was stopped when Ren placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I think that is a wonderful idea." Ren prodded the girl into accepting the kind offer. "If it bothers Mogami-san to have you take her home this evening, we would be happy to come back to give her a ride home." Yashiro nodded his agreement as he finished straightening his shirt and retying his tie. Kyoko wanted to disagree, but she really did want to spend more time learning about Catherine, so she agreed.

"Great!" Catherine exclaimed. "Then I will arrange dinner for everyone too." Concern touched Ren for a moment as he stressed his brain to try and remember if Catherine had ever cooked for him before. Unable to come up with an answer he decided that a woman with no cooking tools in her kitchen probably was not the best cook.

"That is not necessary." Ren politely refused the offer. "I don't want you to overwork yourself as you are recovering." Catherine waved the refusal away.

"Nonsense, by that time, I will be much better. Anyway, it's the least I can do for your kindness to me." Catherine left them no more room to deny the offer, so Ren agreed.

"Then we will see you this evening." Yashiro pulled his coat on over his somewhat wrinkled dress shirt. It is amazing the amount of wrinkles a shirt can get when it is slept in. Now properly dresses, the two men said their farewells and left to get Ren a change of clothing. Catherine shut and locked the door behind them before turning to Kyoko with a grin.

"Let me get dresses, and if you feel comfortable enough with English, we can watch a movie before we go get supplies for dinner." Kyoko agreed in English. "Alright, go pick out a movie." Catherine turned to get dressed as Kyoko went over and pulled out the movie with the palindromic title picture. She was sure that any movie with a princess named Buttercup and a pirate had to be a good movie.


	33. Chapter 34

Here is the next section. I hop you enjoy it. Let me know if there is anything that needs correcting.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Ren stole a glance at his manager as they sped away from Catherine's apartment. Yashiro pushed his glasses up with a finger before scribbled in his ever-handy schedule book. The call he had received was a revised schedule for Ren's acting job. As he finished writing the information down, Ren cleared this throat to gain his manager's attention. Yashiro looked up from his work to the driver.

"Do you like Catherine?" Ren dropped the question on Yashiro like a bomb. Startled by the sudden directness from his charger, Yashiro froze.

"What?" That short question had been too much for the bespectacled man to process.

"I asked if you liked Catherine." Ren restated his curiosity. Yashiro took a moment to gather his thoughts as he closed the schedule book and stowed it away.

"She is a really nice person and treats Kyoko-chan very well. So yes, I approve of her." Yashiro skirted the answer that Ren was looking for. Ren was not happy with this so he tried again.

"That is not what I asked. Do you LIKE Catherine?" This time Ren left no room for Yashiro to escape his question. Ren stopped at a light and pinned his friend with an intense demanding gaze. Yashiro stammered at the question. He was caught between denying the accusation and admitting that he had feeling forming for the woman. He was saved from Ren's gaze when the light turned green and Ren had to turn his attention back to the road. Yashiro found it easier to think without the weight of Ren's dark eyes pressing him into his seat.

"I don't know if I LIKE her, but I do find her captivation." Yashiro finally admitted after a few minutes of oppressive silence. An evil grin crept onto the actors face as he pressed his manager more.

"Why don't you ask her out?" Ren knew that Yashiro was not seeing anyone currently due to the heavy work load that Ren put on him. He hoped that someone with knowledge of Yashiro's job would be a more understanding partner for the man. Yashiro turned several colors at once upon hearing this suggestion. His heart considered the idea before his rationalities stamped on it. The two halves of his psyche fought over the idea.

'She is a very attractive and pleasant woman. Not to mention strong.' His heart raged.

'Yes, but she is Kyoko-chan's manager. A relationship may get in the way of her work.' His mind countered.

'You have a busy schedule too, so it would not interfere with her job.' His heart pushed.

'True, but she is a foreigner, what if she has to leave to go back?' His mind found the biggest flaw in his hearts plans.

'DINNER! It would not hurt to have dinner with her.' His heart worked hard to convince his mind to accept her.

'True, dinner with her would be nice, but…..' now that his heart and mind agreed on something, they turned to the man driving.

"Alright," Yashiro agreed to Ren's suggestion. "I will ask Kat-chan out on a date if you ask Kyoko-chan out, and not on a double date. You need to take her out to someplace romantic. Just the two of you, with wine and music and flowers." Yashiro returned Ren's scheming grin. Ren clammed up at his manager's suggestion. He would love to ask Kyoko out on a real date, but he was afraid that she would run from him if he showed her his true feelings. Something occurred to the actor that made his smile.

"Ok. It's a deal. I will take Mogami-san out and you have to ask Saunders-san out." Ren would have to finesse it, but he was sure that Kyoko would agree under the pretext of getting the two manager's together. Although she was not a big fan of love herself, she was a fan of seeing other people happy. This time it was Yashiro that fell silent as his emotions ranged from joy and excitement, through horror, and back to happiness then beyond. His favorite daydream was coming true! Ren would ask Kyoko out! But he would have to take her manager out. His heart pounded at the idea of them alone together. His thoughts about the deal that had been struck were interrupted when Ren parked at his apartment so he could retrieve a clean shirt. Yashiro decided that this was going to be a long day.

Catherine stood in the shower with the hot water running over her. The sensation of the near scalding water cascading over her head did a lot to help soothe the headache that was still hanging on. She was feeling a lot better than when Kyoko and her party first came in, but it would be a while still before the ache subsided completely. Catherine had a high pain tolerance and had convinced herself that she would not let this keep her down. She turned the water off before she gave herself a first degree burn and went to get dressed. After pulling on a comfy t-shirt and yoga pants, she went to the kitchen to get things ready for dinner. She paused for a moment in the living room to look at the girl occupying her couch. Having been pulled in completely by the fairy tale, Kyoko clutched one of the couch pillows to her and cried when Buttercup learns that her love was not dead, but disguised as the man she had just pushed down the hill.

"As you wish." Catherine breathed Westley's words of love as she continued into the kitchen. She always loved the simple ways that the main character expresses his love in the movie. Her mind turned over to a more pressing issue. What to cook for dinner? She surveyed the newly stocked kitchen and found that Ren had bought quite a bit for her. She was really going to have to find a way to pay him back. Shaking her head, she pulled out the box of corn muffin mix, an egg, and the milk; and made a Johnny cake in the small cake pan before going and joining Kyoko on the couch for the rest of the movie.

"That was fantastic!" Kyoko uncurled herself as the credits rolled. Catherine agreed and went to pull her cooling cornbread out of the pan. Kyoko followed her, rambling on about the movie and kept repeating Westley's 'As you wish' while Catherine listened, agreeing with the excited girl. Kyoko's rant stopped as she pondered over her manager's actions. Catherine had pulled the cornbread out of the pan and was crumbling it up onto the cookie sheet. "What are you doing?" Kyoko finally asked.

"Getting stuff ready for dinner." Catherine answered. Having finished breaking all the little pieces up, she smoothed the crumbs out as thin as the sheet would allow and set them uncovered on the table.

"Won't it dry out like that?" Kyoko was worried that Catherine would ruin the soft crumbs.

"They need to dry before they can be used to bread the chicken." Catherine reassured the concerned cook. Confusion showed on Kyoko's face. She could not thing of any dish that would use cornbread crumbs as breading for chicken.

"Umm… What are we making?" Finally giving up on trying to puzzle out the menu, Kyoko figured it would be better to ask.

"We need to go shopping for the rest of the stuff, but I'm going to make Chicken Parmesan for everyone." Catherine explained as she washed up and checked to see what she would need. Kyoko froze in disbelief. The same woman that had no food or cookware in her kitchen was going to tackle such a complicated dish! And without a recipe! Having completed her list of things, Catherine turned to her companion and read the expression on her face. She shook her head at Kyoko before adding, "Just because my kitchen is empty does not mean I can't cook." Kyoko broke out of her frozen state and stammered apologies as Catherine led them out to the living room. Catherine calmed the girl and went to get her coat so that the two girls could go to the store to get the needed supplies for dinner.

After an hour, the two women arrived back at Catherine's apartment with a plethora of food. To Kyoko's surprise, the only premade ingredient Catherine got was the spaghetti and some tomato sauce. Some of the items confused her, how did chocolate chips and shorting fit into chicken parmesan? Catherine sorted the ingredients into several piles before turning to Kyoko.

"Ok, I am going to need to start the sauce so that it will be done when the guys get back, you can either hang out here, or we can find another movie for you to watch." Catherine offered Kyoko her choice of entertainment. Having not been exposed too much Italian cooking Kyoko decided to help in the kitchen. "Great! Do you mind if I put on some background music?" Kyoko agreed and Catherine retrieved a laptop from her bedroom. After plugging the electronic devise in at one end of the counter, she pulled up her massive English music library and hit shuffle. "Feel free to look through it and play anything you would like to hear." Kyoko spent several minutes perusing the files as Catherine washed the new baking dish and vegetables.

It was not long till a hearty marinara sauce was simmering while the two girls danced around the room to Catherine's eclectic music collection. Catherine let Kyoko control the music and there were only a few songs that she changer. Kyoko decided that she liked this unexpected side of her manager. She was surprised when Catherine dumped a bunch of ingredients in a bowl and slid it across the table for Kyoko to mix. As the batter came together, Kyoko realized the chocolate chips weren't for dinner, they were for cookies!


	34. Chapter 35

More fun. I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat! or any of the song mentioned here in.**

The two friends played and cooked in the kitchen till about 8:20 when Kyoko heard a knock at the door and went to answer it. Catherine hadn't notice Kyoko get up because she was busy with the final preparations for dinner. Kyoko opened the door after checking the peephole to make sure it was Ren and Yashiro. The guys were welcomed in by a warm plum of garlic, tomatoes, and dance music. After dropping their shoes and coats in the entryway, the men followed Kyoko through the living room and into the kitchen. Kyoko returned to her seat at the table while both Ren and Yashiro paused just inside the doorway. They were met with the sight of Catherine cooking and singing along to the English version of "Numa Numa".

"Every word of love I use to say now I paint it everyday-e-ya. When you leave my colors fade to gray. Hey little lover stay or all my colors fade away. Every word of love I use to say now I paint it everyday-e-ya." Catherine sang as she pulled the large dish from the oven. Her movements were timed with the beat of the song as she spilled cheese across the tomato covered chicken. Without turning her attention from the hot dish in front of her she called to her companion. "Hey Kyoko, what time do you think they will get back?" To her surprise, Ren answered.

"We just got back." Catherine whipped around, spilling cheese across the floor, to see the men standing in the kitchen. A deep blush and a guilty grin rushed up her face as she discovered that they had been watching her dancing to the music.

"Umm… good. Dinner will be in a few minutes." Catherine turned back to her dish to hide her embarrassment. "Could someone set the table please?" All three of her guests moved to collect appropriate articles to set the table. Having seen the large pot of boiling water and the pan of tomato covered goodness Catherine was sliding back in the oven, they set out forks, knives, and flat plates. Catherine continued to move to the beat of the music as she cleaned up the spilled topping and set the noodles to boil. Yashiro paused in his work to watch her fluid like movement as she almost danced through the kitchen. As the music changed, she shifted into the new beat without pausing in her work. Ren stopped moving and turned to his kohai to see how her delicate morals would take this new song.

Kyoko wasn't paying attention to the English words of the Bloodhound Gangs most notorious song until the male singer's suggestion of reaching down his pants hit her ears. By the time the song reached "Yes I'm Siskel, Yes I'm Ebert and you getting two thumbs up…" a very red Kyoko had materialized by the computer and was trying to change the song. To her horror, the screen locked up and the song continued to play. Catherine sang along for a few lines as she made her way over to the computer Kyoko was trying to destroy. A few quick key strokes relieved the problem and the embarrassing song flipped to the next one in the shuffle list. Yashiro blushed lightly at the lyrics as he wondered, for a second, what it meant to be smothered and covered like waffle house hash browns. Kyoko was trying her best to disappear into the wall as the heavy beat of the next song was covered by the soft voice of the singer.

When the main lyrics started, "I'm searching for a man, all across Japan, just to find, to find my samurai" Ren nudged Yashiro and nodded to the woman singing along as she drained the spaghetti. Ren laughed as Yashiro glared daggers at the taller actor for his suggestion. Pulled by the mirth behind her, Catherine turned to see what was funny. When her eyes met Yashiro's his blush darkened before he cleared his throat and excused himself to the bathroom. Catherine looked around in confusion; taking in Kyoko's distress over the previous song and Ren's joy at his escaping manager, she quickly decided that they had enough music for one night. Prodding Kyoko back to life, she asked the talented woman to watch the food before she killed the computer and removed it to her bedroom.

Yashiro stood in front of Catherine's bathroom sink with water dripping from the end of bangs. Washing his face had done him a world of good in cooling down his raging blush. He had also cooled the burning need to throttle his charge. He dried himself off and opened the door to find Catherine had dumped her computer on the bed and was in the processes of grinding the heels of her hands into her eyes trying to rid herself of the remains of her headache. Upon hearing the door open, she dropped her hands and turned towards the noise. Pressing hard on her eyes had clouded them so she was unable to see the man she knew was there. She tried rubbing her eyes with the knuckles of her thumbs to restore her sight, but this only worsened the issue.

"Are you ok?" Yashiro asked as he came to check on the distressed woman.

"Ya. I was just rubbing too hard." Catherine answered as she stopped grinding against her eyes and started blinking to see if that would help. Yashiro placed his hand on the side of her face and tilted her head back so he could peer into her unfocused eyes as she blinked rapidly. When her vision cleared, Catherine's heart fluttered like a trapped bird as she found herself caught, for the second time that day, by the warm honey-brown eyes and soft touch of the man before her. She could see Yashiro's concern being melted away by hotter emotions as her vacant gaze sharpened to meet his. The pain that caused her original problem was pushed from her mind as she fought with herself. Did she give in and step into his embrace or harden her resolve and pull away from him? The breath that she was unknowingly holding slipped from her as she closed her eyes in surrender to the desire in her companion's face. Even though her heart was not prepared for the consequences, she was unable to deny him one second longer. Her heart pounded as she waited for him to close the gap separating them. Just as he was about to capture her lips, reality came crashing down on them in the form of the voice of the actor in the other room.

It only took Kyoko a few seconds to recover from her shock and embarrassment when Catherine asked her to watch the still cooking food. The garlic bread and chicken only needed a few more minutes to finish, and it would be a disaster to let it burn after Catherine had worked all evening to make the special meal. Unable to face her senpai yet, she turned her attention to what needed to be done. Ren watched as his love cracked open the over to check on the bread. Finding it just perfect, she pulled it out and closed the oven back. She put the hot cookie sheet down and turned to find the bowl she had prepared earlier. Since he had been paying close attention to her movements, Ren retrieved the dish from the table and delivered it to the counter before Kyoko could move for it herself. Ren decided this was the perfect time to break the uncomfortable atmosphere with a simple question.

"So did you enjoy your afternoon?" He spoke softly so not to spook the skittish girl.

"Oh yes." Kyoko replied, forgetting about her most recent embarrassing encounter. She started to gush on about the movie Catherine had introduced her to and all the types of American music they had listened to as she loaded the hot bread into the bowl. Ren leaned against the counter and smiled warmly as the girl bubbled happily about her day, he could listen to her like this forever. It didn't take her long to finish the task and turn part of her attention back to the dish of cheese covered goodness in the over. She paused in her rambling as she inspected the melted mozzarella starting to brown in the over. Not sure if this was supposed to happen, she pulled it out of the oven and set the hot dish on top of the stove. As Kyoko tended to the steaming food, Ren pushed away from the counter and informed Kyoko that he would find out what was keeping their missing companions. "Hey guys." He called as he stepped out of the kitchen.

To Yashiro's surprise and dismay, he found the woman he was about to kiss retreading rapidly from his grasp as his charge passes through the door into the bedroom. Ren came up short when he saw the rapid movement from the woman and wondered if he had interrupted something important. Both parties in the room turned to look at the new addition. Ren decided he had intruded at the wrong time because he could make out a slight hint of disappointment in his manager's eyes.

"Pardon me." He apologized to the pair. "Kyoko thinks dinner is ready." Catherine nodded her thanks and skirted around Yashiro and fled quickly from the room. Ren noticed how she had refused to look at either man as she passed and had been very careful to not touch his manager as she skittered pass him. Yashiro's heart twinged as he watched the woman escape from the room. Yashiro slowly followed expecting to be ribbed for what had just happened. As he came close to his charger, Ren shook his head as a sad smile crept onto his face. "I know how you feel." Ren dropped an understanding hand on his manager's shoulder as he sympathized with him. Both love-sick fools sighed deeply before heading to the women troubling their hearts.

Catherine chastised herself as she fled from the room. Of all the stupid, idiotic thing she could be doing, falling in love was the worst. She was only staying in Japan until things with Kyoko situation improved and her services were no longer needed. Then she was supposed to return to her life back in the states. It would be unfair for both of them if she allowed her feeling to grow anymore. Her job was unconducive to a relationship and she had already lost several suitors due to the stressful conditions it caused. Unlike a normal manager, there were extra duties that she needed to focus on. In the best of times, she spent every waking hour with her charge; at the worst it was very dangerous. Catherine continued to mutter reprimanding things as she checked on the work that Kyoko had completed. Kyoko was shocked by the string of English insults that issued from Catherine as she puttered around the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner.

"Is everything ok?" Kyoko asked as Catherine arranged the food on the counter top.

"Oh yes." She lied, "I just….." Her words fell off as the two men entered the room. She quickly turned away from them and sighed deeply before changing what she was about to say. "It's nothing, just forget it." Kyoko studied her manager for a moment before nodding and letting the subject drop. She could tell that the woman was upset about something, but this was not a good time to press the issue. Kyoko also felt that Yashiro seemed sad as his eyes traced the woman as she moved through the room. Catherine took another breath to compose herself before slipping into a happier mood. She would deal with her personal issues at a later time. She turned to the guests with a warm and inviting smile.

"Dinner is ready, so please help yourselves." Lacking the proper serving dishes, Catherine had left the deconstructed meal on the counter to allow her guests to take as much, or little, as they wanted. Catherine giggled as Kyoko took Ren's plate away from him and loaded it with a decent portion. She loved how the younger woman bullied the strong willed man into eating correctly. It was something she had never seen him let anyone else do. And to her amazement, Ren ate every bite under Kyoko's watchful eye.

The rest of the meal was filled with many complements and much laughter. Ren and Kyoko carried most of the conversation as they compared their days. Both Catherine and Yashiro laughed and talked with them, but Catherine had taken the seat farthest from the man troubling her and avoided meeting his eyes as much as possible. When Yashiro wasn't laughing at Kyoko's stories, he was glancing at Catherine with a forlorn look in his eyes. The few times she did met his eyes, he was troubled by the worried look she gave him before she turned away as quickly as she could. It was like she was not sure what to do with him.

After dinner was cleared away, the four friends retired to the living room to sit before calling it a day. As her guests found seats on the couch, Catherine headed over to the small coffee table placed at the far end of the room. She stood over the table as she contemplated the best way to manhandle the heave object over where she needed it. She was saved from the daunting task by a hand placed gently on her shoulder. Her heart stopped when she found that the hand was attached to the man that she had been avoiding during dinner.

"Would you like some help?" It was amazing how much emotion she could read from that light touch and simple offer. The troubled tone in his voice made her realize that her insecurities had caused her to be rude to this sweet soul and that she needed to find a better way to deal with her feelings. Catherine let out a cleaning breath before graciously accepting his help in moving the table to a more convenient location. After depositing the table, Yashiro settled himself on the floor next to it while Catherine and Kyoko excused themselves to retrieve the fresh cookies and tea from the kitchen.

"Are you still going to hold me to our deal?" Ren needled his manager. Yashiro sat up straighter on the floor and folded his hands on the table.

"Yes." A wicked grin creped onto his face, "Just remember, you have to also." Concern filled Ren's face. After what he had walked in on earlier, he was sure that Catherine would say yes to his offer.

"Are you going to ask her tonight?" anxiety filled Ren at the possible answer his manager could give.

"Maybe." Yashiro teased the nervous man on the couch. He loved to watch Ren squirm. In reality, Yashiro did not know if he wanted to broach the subject with Catherine. After the second close call, he was sure that she was having a profound effect on his heart, but her actions spoke volumes of her unease. It was very apparent that she was reluctant to let herself be swayed at the moment. He would wait until he was sure that is was not the headache, or the medication that was making her act oddly before he took any action. The two men were saved from further discussion when Kyoko reappeared with a plate of homemade cookies. Catherine followed behind her with the lacquered tray filled with the tea service.

After depositing their burdens, Catherine came to rest on the floor so that Kyoko could take the seat next to Ren on the couch. Yashiro noted that Catherine seemed to have come to terms with what was bothering her for the slight unease she held throughout dinner was no longer there. She did place a decent amount of space between them, but she did not avoid his eyes as she had done earlier. The worry that plagued him before melted away as they ate the cookies and relaxed.

The inevitable time finally arrived when her guest really needed to be going so they could retire for the night. Catherine had refused to let Kyoko clean up in kitchen using the excuse that Ren would be inconvenienced if they stayed any longer. The actor started to offer to stay till everything was done, but his offer died on his lips when Catherine shot him a death glare over the young woman's shoulder. After assuring them that she could handle it, Kyoko finally gave in and agreed to let Ren take her home.

"You have all been so kind to me today, thank you." Catherine followed her guests to the door. She had packed up the remains of the chocolate chip cookies and handed them to Kyoko as a parting gift. "I will see you tomorrow morning." She promised her charge before turning her mind to a pressing issue that she had almost forgotten. "We will also need to give them an answer on that last job soon so think about it ok?" Kyoko froze as she thought about the decision she had been avoiding. She prayed that Ren would not ask her about that job on the way home.

"I will let you know tomorrow." Kyoko tried her best to sound nonchalant about it, but Ren could tell there was something off with her. Catherine agreed before wishing her friends good night and watching as they made their way to the elevation. Before she turned to head back into her apartment, she caught a final longing look from a pair of honey-brown eyes as the metallic door of the elevator swallowed her friend. She shivered in response before locking the door behind her and applying her frustration to the task of cleaning up. Once everything was spotless again, she took one final dose of painkillers before slipping into her bed for the night. The medication pushed her off into a deep and restful slumber.


	35. Chapter 36

This one is short today, but I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

"So what is this new job?" Ren questioned his beloved kohai as the elevator dropped down its shaft. Kyoko froze trying to find a way to turn her senpai from the subject that she was sure would make him upset. Unable to come up with a good cover story, she decided that the truth would be the best option.

"The president has asked me to appear in Fuwa-san's latest PV." Kyoko sighed as she admitted her dilemma to Ren. The tall actor stiffened at this news. 'How could the boss ask her to do something like that!' Ren fumed as he pulled on his best cover smile.

"And are you going to do it?" He asked quietly, trying to keep the disgust out of his voice. Both Yashiro and Kyoko cringed at the anger Ren was failing to conceal from his friends. Kyoko had been seriously thinking about it, but with the way Ren was acting, she was not sure if she should.

"I was thinking about it." Kyoko started. "Otousan told me that I should not pass on jobs just because I did not like them, and I am indebted to Haruki Asami-san for showing Ogata-san the 'Prisoner' PV early, assuring me the part of Mio." Kyoko quickly explained her thinking before Ren could blow up at her for considering the job. Ren calmed as she explained her thinking, and by the time the three had settled in the car, he had come to the same conclusion she had. As long as she was not doing it to try to exact her revenge, it would be in her best interests to do the PV, even if he did not like it.

"Ok, if you are sure it's something you want to do." Ren gave in to reason. Kyoko did not know what to make of her senpai's response, but decided not to push him anymore. Yashiro had listened quietly to the conversation trying not to draw attention to himself, but had to agree with Ren's opinion after hearing all the details. They rode in a comfortable silence until Ren dropped Yashiro off. Kyoko had insisted that he take the cookies that Catherine had made. She forced them on him with the explanation that an actress needed to watch what she ate. It was the same excuse that Kanae tried to use on her before giving in to Kyoko's ice cream demands. He finally agreed and took the surgery snack inside to recover from the day. It would take a long bath and a few of the cookies before he could clear his mind of their maker enough to actually get to sleep.

Ren walked Kyoko clear up to the door of the Darumaya when they arrived. One of the streetlight was out and he wanted to make sure that she was safe.

"Thank you for your help today." Kyoko smiled to the man watching over her as they arrived at the door of the restaurant. "Please be safe going home."

"As you wish." Ren replied in English. Kyoko froze as she recognized the words from the movie she had watched that day. Her heart pounded as she stared at her respected senpai with wide eyes trying to understand why he had used that line in response. She finally decided that he was messing with her and didn't really understand what those words had meant in the movie before wished him goodnight and disappearing into the restaurant. Ren sighed in defeat as he returned to his car. Even after using the cryptic words of love from the Princess Bride, she still did not realize his feelings. At least she had not torn away in horror at his words. He took several deep breaths to compose himself so that he could drive home for a good stiff drink before bed.

Kyoko held up the front of her floor length skirt as she ran down the long corridor and around the corner into a dead end. Her heaving breathing was hampered by the tight corset pressing against her ribs. Finding herself trapped, she turned to face the tall man in the black pirate shirt that had been chasing her. His face and hair was covered with a black bandana and the rapier in his hand looked deadly. He slowed his chase when he discovered his pray trapped. He slipped his sword back into its sheath as he closed on the young woman. Kyoko pressed herself into the cold stone wall hoping to find a lose brick or hidden passage that would allow her escape.

"What do you want?" She screamed at the menacing figure. The man continued forward without answering. "Why are you chasing me?" Still no answer from her pursuer, he was only a few feet away now. "At least tell me who you are!" The tall figure stopped at these words. He freed one of his hands from its leather glove before pulling the bandana off reveling flowing golden hair and familiar blue eyes from her distant past. Her memory give adult form closed on her and wrapped her in his arms. Kyoko nearly died as she recognized the voice of her respected senpai English words echoing off the walls with all the passion of a lover's confession before stealing her lips.

"As you wish."

Kyoko woke up flailing as she ripped herself away from the dream. She ran her hands over her body checking for the corset that had restricted her a moment ago. It had been so real that she could still feel the warmth from the passionate kiss on her lips. Finding herself safe in her bed, she laid back and tried to slow her breathing. The final words of her dream rolled around in her head as she tried to figure out how she had mixed her fairy prince and her respected sempai together. She looked over at her clock, 3 am. She needed to go back to sleep or she would not be able to function tomorrow. Even after getting up to make herself some warm milk to help calm down, it was over an hour before she was finally able to get back to sleep.

Across town, Japan's favorite actor shifted in his bed as he was pulled from his dream. He could still feel the heat from the corset wrapped girl he had been holding, the taste of her kiss still on his lips. He lay still savoring the details of the fading dream and clinched his hands imprinting the feel of his love on his memory. He sighed as he rolled over in the expanse of his empty bed to find his clock. 3 am. If only she could accept his love, he would show her how sweet life could be. Giving in to the need for sleep, he used the three English words from his last dream to seed the dreams to come.


	36. Chapter 37

Here is the next chapter. Please let me know what you think. I always look forward to feedback.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Catherine greeted her bleary eyed charge with a smile the next morning. She had taken time to sort through her thoughts properly and had slept well after her guests have left. Kyoko, on the other hand, had spent the night tossing from the strange dreams she had. The first dream that had disturbed her sleep was followed by several others involving compromising positions involving either the adult version of Corn or her respected senpai. She had decided to give up trying to sleep after the last dream left her gasping for breath at 6 am. She was glad that she did not have film time with Ren today. She was sure that she would just die if she ran into him today. Catherine could see that her charge was not in her best form this morning.

"You have filming for Box 'R' this afternoon, so how would you like to skip school and join me in something more relaxing this morning?" Catherine offer was too much for Kyoko to pass up. She knew she should go to school, but she just could not get over the night she had gotten up from. She agreed and Catherine sent her back to get changed out of her school outfit.

Now in more comfortable clothing, Kyoko settled into the car as Catherine waved through Tokyo's traffic. She was surprised when they arrived at the usual parking garage outside LME. Kyoko got out of the car and started towards the familiar building.

"We're not going there yet." Catherine called to her charge as she turned in the other direction. "I just wanted to leave my car here, so that I did not have to worry about parking."

"Where are we going?" Kyoko finally asked the question tickling her mind.

"Well, we are going to go down here and take the train over to the Tokyo Gallery." Catherine outlined her plans. "There is a traveling exhibit of Yoshizawa Akira's origami that will be leaving this weekend." Kyoko was starting to get excited about the morning out. She had not been out anywhere normal since the whole evil-Sho-fan thing started and was starting to feel the lack of regular exercise. Her mind then flipped to the obvious problem with the plan.

"Umm... Isn't it a bad idea for us to be walking out in public?" Worry stole over Kyoko's mind. "I mean, there could still be mad fans after me." Catherine considered her fears for a moment as they waited for the light to change.

"Don't worry about it." Catherine reassured her as they crossed the street to the train station. "Fuwa's fans aren't going to look for you walking on the street to an art gallery." Catherine made it seem impossible. "Anyway, that is what I am here for. Just enjoy the outing and let me worry about your safety."

To Kyoko's surprise, Catherine was right; they didn't run into any paparazzi or annoying fans as they made their way to the gallery. They spent a very relaxing morning walking around the art exhibit seeing all the amazing ways paper could be folded, it server to relieve Kyoko of most of her anxieties from the long night of weird dreams. After the Tokyo Gallery, the girls heading to a small coffee shop for a light lunch, before they needed to return for Kyoko's filming of Box 'R'. When the lunchtime streets of Tokyo started to get crowded, Catherine allowed Kyoko to lead them back to the train station.

Kyoko screamed in surprise when a passing hooded figure slammed into her, knocking her off balance and out into the street. It only took a second for Catherine to follow the off-balanced actress into the road and thrust her back onto the sidewalk, out of the way of the oncoming car. Unfortunately, Catherine's inertia was too great and she was unable to join her companion in the safety of the sidewalk. As the driver attempted to stop, Catherine hit the hood of the car and was propelled over the roof before coming to rest on the ground behind the now stopped car. The driver tore himself from the vehicle to check on the person he just hit. Another scream issued from Kyoko as she regained her balance and ran to the mass that was her manager.

Catherine relaxed on the pavement for a few seconds as she took stock of her injuries. Her wrist hurt from her initial impact with the hood, and she was sure there was going to be a nice bruise on her hip and shoulder from her trip over the roof to the ground, but otherwise, she was fine. Her training as a stunt woman in Hollywood had saved her life today. Knowing she was going to be hit, she jumped and took the impact as she had been taught. It had surprised her when the stunt worked somewhat in real life, but the bruise from her fall was far better than being crushed by the car. As the driver and Kyoko reached her, Catherine slowly sat up. The driver broke down in tears of relief when he saw the victim was alive. He stammered his apologies and offered to pay for her medical expenses. Kyoko fell to her injured friend to see if there was anything she could do. Catherine waved both of them off as she pulled herself to her feet. Kyoko retrieved a shoe that she had lost during her flight, but otherwise, Catherine didn't appear to need any help. After a few more polite words, Catherine convinced the driver that she was fine and sent him on his way. Several people had stopped to witness the accident, but no one could identify the culprit that had pushed the young woman. He was long gone. After assuring several people she was alright, Catherine got the crowd moving again.

"I'm so sorry." Kyoko cried again as Catherine stretched her sore shoulder and twisted her injured wrist. Feeling the tendons pull, Catherine considered the possibly of her having sprained it.

"Enough." Catherine tried to calm her hysterical charge. "It's not your fault, and I will be fine." Kyoko looked as if she did not believe that Catherine was ok. "I'll go have it checked out later." Catherine promised so that the actress would not fuss about it.

"But you need to go now." Kyoko tried to convince her manager to take care of her injury right away.

"No, right now we need to get you back to LME for the filming of Box 'R'." Catherine insisted as she took the young woman's arm and led her to the train station. It took all of her might not to limp on the sore hip. If she had, Kyoko was sure to call the ambulance that she had already refused several times already. Kyoko had to relent in her struggle to get Catherine to the doctor when the older woman showed no more signs of injury. But she did continue to apologize all the way back to LME and the comforts of Catherine's car. Catherine was glad when they settled in for the ride to Kyoko's location shoot and she was able to distract the girl with her work.

"Don't worry about it Kyoko-chan." Catherine tried to calm her for what felt like the millionth time. "It was just an accident and everything is ok. Have you made a decision on the PV?" Kyoko's mood darkened as she thought about the brainless singer and his dumb PV.

"Yes. I have." Kyoko brooded for a moment. She had been surprised when Ren had not shot the idea out of the water, but if he was ok with it, then maybe she should. "I will do it." She committed to it with all the joy of one being asked to clean the mold from the bathroom with a toothbrush. Concern filled Catherine at hearing the usually cheerful girl so discussed over taking a job.

"If you don't want to do it, then don't. No one is going to force you." Catherine reassured the girl. Kyoko spent the next ten minutes reiterating the conversation she had with Ren the previous night. By the end, Catherine understood why the girl took the job that she so obviously did not want to do. "Well, if you are sure, I will let them know so we can get it scheduled." Kyoko nodded again, reminding herself that this was for Haruki Asami not Sho. "Have you learned your script for today?" Catherine tried to turn the brooding actresses mind to something else.

"Oh yes!" Kyoko popped out of her funk. To be sure that everything that had happened had not rattled her memory, she pulled out her script and read it. They rode in silence all the way to the location where Kyoko would be filming

Catherine saw Kyoko to her dressing room before excusing herself to the bathroom. She needed to see how bad the injuries really were before she called Lory to inform him of the incident. She stepped in and locked the door before stripping off her jacket. The heavy material had saved her skin from road rash, but it hadn't provided much cushioning for her fall. A dark bruise had bloomed on her upper arm and shoulder blade. The joint hurt when she raised her arm above her head, but it felt like it was stove-up and not a break or fracture. Next she pulled up her tank top and dropped her pants to look at the blacking area on her side and hip. The walk back to the car had proven she had not broken the bone, but it was not happy. She redressed herself before turning her attention to the last injury, her wrist. She had used it to push off the hood during the initial impact and she was sure that it was sprained. She could see where the joint was swollen, but she could still move it around. She decided to go find a first aid box; there were always ace bandages around in case of an emergency. She also decided that some ice and aspirin would be a good idea too. Once her medical needs were met, she found a quit place to call her boss on his personal cell phone.

"Hello." Lory answered after reading the caller idea. It was unusual for Catherine to call him on this line unless she really needed him.

"Good afternoon." Catherine decided to start out with the good news first. "I am calling to let you know that Kyoko has made a decision about the PV. She has agreed to do it."

"Fantastic." Lory was happy to hear that. "I will let them know. Is there anything else?" This was good information, but not something that Catherine would call his personal phone for.

"Well, there was an incident that happened today. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the rumors about her, but someone knocked Kyoko over in front of a moving car this morning." Lory could tell by the lack of urgency in Catherine's voice that the young actress was fine, but he had to ask.

"Is she ok?"

"Yes, she was shaken up, but I was able to get her to safety before she got hit." Catherine answered.

"Are you alright?" Lory could tell that the woman was leaving something out.

"I think I sprained my wrist, and I have a nasty bruise forming, but I'm ok." Catherine tried to smooth her injuries over so he would not worry.

"And how did you get a bruise." Lory closed his eyes and prayed that she would not give the answer he expected.

"Umm… I tagged my hip when the car hit me?" Catherine made her words almost sound like a question. Lory sighed as she gave him the answer he had hoped not to hear.

"Where are you now?" Lory hoped that she was at a doctor, but expected she was not.

"We are at the filming of Box 'R' right now." Catherine answered sheepishly. Lory's patience has worn out and he growled at her.

"As soon as she is done with filming, get back here. I will arrange someone to take Kyoko-chan home tonight." He hissed into his phone. Catherine let out a sigh and agreed. She knew she would be imposing on a very generous man again tonight.

As soon as he disconnected the phone, Lory put this head down on his desk. He was glad that she was a strong woman, but Catherine was going to be the death of him. How can she let herself get hit by a car, and then play it off like it was nothing? He steadied his nerves to call the person who would be the most pisses off to not hear about this.

"Hello Ren."


	37. Chapter 38

Here's another bite for you. Please let me know what you think.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Catherine had watched most of the filming from a secluded corner so that the ice bag on her wrist would not draw her charge from character. The long sleeve of her coat had prevented Kyoko from seeing the bag when the young woman appeared next to Catherine without her noticing. Kyoko spoke softly to her thinking the manager had fallen asleep waiting for her. Catherine had closed her eyes trying to will the dull pain in her hips go away, but she was far from asleep. She kept turning the incident over in her mind; the dark hooded figure, the impact of the hood, the feel of the hot pavement. She was acting strong to keep her charge from knowing, but really Catherine was a trembling mess inside. After watching Kyoko change back into her normal attire, Catherine let the girl lead the way to the car so she could drop the ice off without her seeing it.

"I informed Lory about the accident and he has requested that we come to see him when we are done." Catherine passed the information on to the young actress. Kyoko nodded her agreement. Contrary to what Catherine believed, she had notice the ice the woman was trying so hard to hide in the sleeve of her coat, and it was impossible for her to miss the ace bandage gracing the woman's wrist. She was sure that her boss would be able to make the stubborn woman get the medical treatment that Kyoko was sure she needed.

They arrived at Lory's office to find it already occupied. Lory, dressed in full flamenco garb, sat on the edge of his desk as he finish informing the two men about the attack on Kyoko and Catherine's daring rescue, but had not gotten to the part where Catherine got hit when the girls opened the door. Kyoko practically died when Ren rushed to her and gathered her to his chest as he physically checked her over for injuries. Even though he had been told Kyoko had not been hurt, he was not going to be satisfied until he saw for himself. She was sure that they had spent way too much time as the Heel siblings when the actor sighed in relief and laid his cheek on top of her head. Her brain refused to process it as it told her to run away, apologies for worrying him, and to cuddle into his warm embrace. She settled on remaining stiffly in his arms (if he would even let her go) with a light apology. Ren melted around her when she had not torn from him. He then looked to the manager stopped just inside the door.

"Thank you." Ren started. Catherine raised her hand so that he would not have to go on. She had learned enough about the two actors' relationship to know that if he continued, he could really scare the poor girl frozen in his arms. Catherine could read his thoughts and emotions through his eyes. Kyoko felt Ren stiffen around her. She took Ren's distraction as an opportunity to extract herself from his embrace and follow his eyes to the wrap on the wrist of Catherine's raised arm. Realizing what had caused Ren's concern, Catherine dropped her hand so that the coat covered the bandage again and proceeded to the chairs to sit down. Four sets of eyes watched her as she gingerly placed herself in the chair. Yashiro worried over the awkward way the normally fluid woman moved.

"How are you doing Saunders-san?" Lory addressed her calmly clicking one of his castanets. She tried to act as nonchalant as possible when she raised her arm for them to see the bandage again. Yashiro sat up at straighter ready to check on the injury if given the chance.

"I'm ok." She tried to downplay the injury. "I just twisted it a little getting Kyoko out from the road." Kyoko stomped her foot crossly at Catherine's untruth.

"That's not true!" Eyes turned to take in the anger rolling off Kyoko. "You hurt it when the car hit you!" Shock and concern pushed Yashiro to his feet as the two ignorant men learned the facts that the manager was trying to hide. Catherine and Kyoko locked eyes for a few breaths until she looked away in defeat. She could not argue with Kyoko because the girl was right. Both Yashiro and Ren stood poised for some unknown action. What could be done for the girl now? Lory waved the two tightly wound men back as he addressed Catherine.

"And how is the bruise?" Kyoko's anger dropped from her as she learned about the rest of the injuries. Catherine sighed under the heavy gaze of her friends. She stood up and pulled her coat off to reveal the darkening spot on her arm and shoulder. Kyoko hissed in response as the men cringed unsure of what they could do to help. Lory took it in and shook his head. "Hip." He sighed.

"What?" Catherine tried to feign ignorance. She did not want to expose the other injury; it would only serve to worry her already distressed friends.

"You said you tagged your hip." Lory reminded her of their phone conversation.

"My hip is fine, you must have misheard." Catherine was determined not to worry them with anymore.

"Show it to me." Lory pushed.

"My hip?"

"Yes, your hip. Or do you need help with it." Lory offered clicking his instrument again. Catherine sputtered her indignation as her three friends nodded that they would be willing to strip the girl if they needed to. She angrily ripped her shirt from her pants, unzipped her jeans, and pulled the waistband over her hip far enough so reveal part of the angry bruise concealed there, but not far enough to be indecent.

"HAPPY!" She yelled as she turned her face to the ceiling. Furious with them all, she did not want to look at anyone in the room. She was surprised when gentle fingers lifted the hem of her shirt to uncover the top part of the bruise. She looked down to find Yashiro kneeling beside her inspecting what he could see of the injury. He carefully prodded the bruise looking for any deeper damage. She let out a painful sound when he hit a particularly sore spot.

"She needs a doctor." Yashiro declared as he continued around the edge of the bruise. This was the final straw. Catherine stepped away from the warm hands touching her and pulled her clothing back into place.

"I don't need a doctor. I'm fine." She huffed as she tucked her shirt back in to the re-secured beltline. She ignored the protests of her companions as she swung her coat around and back into place. She drew a sharp breath at the twinge in her shoulder as she moved the stove-up joint a little too far slipping into the jacket. Any further refusal she could have given was cut short when Yashiro spun her around and pressed her into his chest. He slid one hand into her hair and placed her head on his shoulder. Catherine's brain misfired as her vision was suddenly filled with the pulsing flesh of Yashiro's throat before he dropped his cheek to rest on her head, blocking off her vision completely.

"Please." The pain he felt at not being able to help her vibrated through her body tearing away her resistance. How could she continue with her refusal when it meant so much to the man wrapped around her? Giving in to his need, she nodded her head in agreement. Yashiro squeezed her just a touch tighter before releasing her from his grasp. A hit of regret passed through Catherine's heart as she found herself standing on her own again. Catherine recovered to find that man that had held her so tightly trying his best to remove a nonexistent smug from his glasses as he attempted to compose himself again. Both Kyoko and Ren were frozen by the tender outburst from the normally proper man. He had managed to convince the stubborn woman to see a doctor, but wow… what a way to do it!

"Alright." Catherine broke the silence as her heartbeat returned to a more normal pace. "I will go." She turned her attention to the still stunned actors. "Ren, can I impose on you to take Kyoko home again?" Her request shook the actors from their spell.

"Anything you need." Ren agreed as Kyoko nodded.

"Then if you will excuse me, I will take myself to the hospital now." Catherine bowed to the group and proceeded to head to the door.

"You're going by yourself?" Kyoko complained before Yashiro could voice the same opinion. Catherine turned to her.

"Yes." Catherine looked over the concern visible on her friends faces. "It's late and it may take a while for them to finish checking me out. I know you all have to work tomorrow so go home and rest." Seeing that this had not resolved the issue, she pulled her attitude back out. "Look, there is no reason for you to go sit in a waiting room for half of the night when there is nothing you can do. I promise to let you know what the doctor says. So please…" Realizing they were not going to win this one without a major fight, Lory answered for the group.

"Alright, you can take yourself to the doctor," Lory stood from his desk making the pompoms on his hat swing, "but you must call me as soon as you get out." Catherine nodded and left without another word to the four people watching her go.

"You're just going to let her go by herself?" Kyoko rounded on her boss. Yashiro wanted to agree with Kyoko, but remembered the incident form the other night. There was no way the strong willed woman would let them coddle her once she had set her mind to something.

"Of course not," Lory answered with a grin. "Sebastian is going to go with her to make sure she gets there and home tonight." The cunning man had foreseen this outcome and had already instructed the silent man on the actions needed. "He is waiting for her at her car."


	38. Chapter 39

Here is another nugget. To everyone that has tried to leave me feedback and has been unable to… I am sorry. There was an error that has been corrected and you should be able to leave feedback again. I should have known something was wrong when I stopped hearing from everyone. . I do really want to know your thought. Thank you for your continued interest.

Special thanks to Noche Eteran, muchas gracias

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Sebastian picked Kyoko up the next morning. Catherine had called to let her know that the doctor was going to admit her for observation until they got back some tests. They were worried about possible blood clots from such a larger bruise on her leg. Her regal driver reassured the slightly depressed teen that her manager would be ok as he delivered her to school.

It was several restless hours later when Kyoko was finally released from her classes. She had spent much of her class time thinking about the accident and Catherine's choice to cover up the injury instead of seeking immediate medical treatment. She did not like that someone would put her work above their own wellbeing. She decided that she needed to watch Catherine closer to make sure she took better care of herself. She brooded on the subject as she headed out to where Sebastian was supposed to be waiting for her.

"Kyoko-chan!" The familiar voice cut through Kyoko's thoughts as she turned around to look where the voice was coming from. Catherine was laughing at her from the path she had just come down. In her thoughts she had completely missed her manager waiting for her. To give Kyoko some credit, Catherine was not in the black coat, tank top, and jeans that Kyoko had grown accustom to her wearing. Today she sported a white sundress covered with little blue flowers that buttoned down to the knee. The short sleeves were just long enough to cover the bruise on her arm while the calf length hem hid the bruise on her leg.

"Kat-chan?" Kyoko questioned unable to believe her eyes. She had not expected her manager to be out of the hospital yet.

"Who else?" Catherine came to greet the girl. Kyoko's eyes were drawn to the sling the woman's arm rested in. Catherine followed the young woman's concerned gaze to her shoulder.

"It's just stove-up a little." Catherine waved the girl's worries away. "The doctor wants me to rest it for a few days." Catherine followed Kyoko's eyes as they moved to the bandage-less hand she had risen to deter the actress' distress. "I told you it was only twisted." Catherine flexed the wrist carefully to show that it was better. In actuality, she had pulled the tendon, but she refused to wear the thick brace the doctor wanted to give her. He compromised by making her agree to take it easy and wear the sling for a few days. Seeing that Kyoko didn't really believe her she shook her head with a sigh and changed the subject. "Come on, we need to go." Catherine started down the path towards the car park. "Sebastian is waiting to take up to Totally Wild Rock."

Kyoko and Catherine chatted about the day events and things to come as Sebastian dropped them off at the studio where Kyoko portrayed a well know chicken. Before he left, Sebastian informed the girls that Lory had arranged transportation for them when the job was done. They were to meet their ride in the lobby, and not to leave until they arrived.

"Who is picking us up?" Catherine asked as she gathered her coat from the back of the car, she did not like depending on other people, especially ones she did not know.

"They will find you." Was the answer the cryptic man gave before leaving the girls to their own devices. Catherine thought about it and shook her hear before following her charge to the dressing rooms. She would worry about it later.

Unable to help her get into costume, Catherine dropped her things off and left Kyoko to get some refreshment for the young woman. Having decided on some juice, she went to find the vending machine in the common area when she was stopped by the sound of a familiar voice coming from one of the dressing room. Stepping closer, she listened to make sure that it was who she thought it was.

"After the show, we are supposed to meet Kyoko in the lobby." Yashiro reminded Ren. "I think this would be a perfect opportunity for you to ask her out." Ren cleared his throat to try and stop his meddling manager. "Oh come on, you like her, so why haven't you done anything. It's obvious to me that she likes you, so just kiss her already." Catherine heard Ren choke on the water he was drinking. Yashiro continued to tease his charge. "You should just roll her up and plant a big one on her." She stifled a giggle as she listened to Yashiro pitch his voice more like Ren's before reenacting his favorite daydream. "Oh Kyoko, I just….. *fake kissing sounds*" She could just imagine what he would look like pretending he was Ren with his arms wrapped around an imaginary Kyoko kissing her. She almost completely lost it when Yashiro's voice came back, pitched as Kyoko's this time, "Oh Ren, I …*more fake kissing sounds*" Who know this man had such a lively imagination!

"Cut it out." Catherine could hear Ren's indignation at his friend's suggestion. "We have had this discussion before." She could hear Yashiro sigh.

"Ya, I know, but I still think it is time for the next step." Now that she knew that Ren was the guess for the show, she was just about to go warn Kyoko when Ren spoke again.

"Anyway, why don't you take the next step?" Ren's voice filled with amusement as he turned the conversation on his manager. "You obviously like her, so why don't you ask her out?" Caught by her curiosity, Catherine froze.

"Kat-chan?" Surprise filled the manager's voice.

"Yes Kat-chan!" Ren replied mockingly. "Don't deign it because I have the pictures." Catherine immediately knew where her missing camera had gone.

"Ok, yes I like her, but I don't know that much about her." Yashiro sighed his defeat.

"A date would be a perfect time to find out." Ren retorted. Having heard way too much to be comfortable with, Catherine retreated to the safety of Kyoko's dressing area.

With the men's conversation still reeling in her brain, she stopped inside the room and stared at Kyoko settling into the body of the costume. It took Kyoko a few minutes to notice the unusually pale manager frozen in her doorway.

"Are you ok?" Kyoko asked taking in the odd color of the woman's face.

"No…Yes… I don't know." Catherine responded as she tried to sort out what to do, then the important facts hit her. She remembered that Kyoko did not want anyone, not even Ren, to know that she played Bo. She grabbed Kyoko by the front of Bo's costume with both hands. "REN IS TONIGHT'S GUEST!" She winced as the movement hurt both her shoulder and wrist, the pain pulled her back to her senses. The look on Kyoko's face was pure terror. The last thing that she wanted was for Ren to find out she was Bo.

"Did they see you?" Kyoko freaked out as she tried to think of ways to prevent Ren from knowing the truth.

"No, I just heard them through the door." Catherine blushed as she admitted to the eavesdropping. Kyoko mind was working to fast to catch the social taboo.

"Then you need to hide so that they don't." Kyoko knew she could use the costume and her cunning to keep Ren from finding out, as long as she could keep the brothers from giving her away, she only had to worry about them seeing Catherine. She would be a dead giveaway and then Kyoko really would be dead. She could already feel Ren's gentleman's smile as he confronted her about the deception. She picked up Catherine's coat and pressed it into the woman. "Wait for me in lobby." Catherine found herself being chased away by a half chicken-woman. Once her surprise wore off, Catherine had to laugh at the absurdity of the situation as she pulled her coat on and made her way to the couches near the lobby. She pulled her MP3 player out so that she would have something to distract her from thinking about the conversation she had overheard. She decided to let it go until he actually said something to her.


	39. Chapter 40

Yay. More story. I hope you like it.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Having removed the one thing that would definitely give her identity away, Kyoko slipped into the rest of the costume and steeled herself for the long show. It was only 40 minutes, but it would be one of the longest 40 minutes she would have to endure. She gathered her white board up and went to talk with the Ishibashis brothers before she had to collect the guest.

"Please, whatever you do, don't call me by my name around the guest today." Kyoko pleaded with her costars. Shinshi and Yusei looked at each other with confusion at the odd request. They knew that Kyoko had worked with Ren on several projects, so why did she not want him to know that it was her playing Bo.

"Playing Bo is nothing to be ashamed of," Hikaru tried to comfort her, misunderstanding her meaning. "You do a wonderful job and should be proud." Seeing that he did not understand Kyoko tried again.

"I am happy to be Bo, but I just don't want him to know. PLEASE!" Kyoko begged again. Seeing the young woman's distress, the three young men agreed, but decided to press Ren to see if they could find out why she was so distraught about it.

Making sure her head was on securely, Kyoko wrote on Bo's board and knocked on the guest dressing room door. Yashiro opened it to find a fat chicken dressed as a cop bowing to him. The board it had in its hand read "Hello I'm Officer Bo. It's time to head to the set Tsuruga-san." Yashiro turned to the actor behind him.

"The police are here for you Ren." Ren moved to see the familiar fowl and read the little sign.

"So you do have a name." Ren smiled at his friend. Bo nodded his head. Yashiro turned an odd look to his charge. "No words today?" Ren asked. Bo shook his head and wiped his board clean before writing 'I'm on duty.' "Ah, I see. Then please take good care of me today." Ren laughed and followed the chicken out the door. Lost, Yashiro followed the confusing pair to the set. Bo motioned for Ren to wait before proceeding onto set. Yashiro took this opportunity to ask Ren who the chicken was. Ren just smiled and watched his costumed friend goof around exciting the audience. He was saved from further inquiries when Hikaru began his introduction.

"And now, we have with us tonight someone that you all should know. He started in the chart topping drama Darkmoon and is currently playing a detective in one of the season's hottest TV shows. Here he is TSURUGA REN!" The crowd went wild as the police chicken came over and escorted the tall actor to his seat. He thanked Officer Bo before turning to his hosts.

"Thank you for coming Tsuruga-san." Hikaru greeted his guest warmly. The four entertainers talked about some of Ren's past achievements before turning the conversation to the new series he was recording.

"I understand that you will be costarring in this upcoming episode with an actress you played with in Darkmoon, Kyoko. How was that?" Ren was unable to keep the smile he was fighting from turning up the corner of his mouth at the mention of his love. Kyoko froze inside of Bo as she wished for the Ishibashis brothers to change the subject away from her. The three boys shuddered as they felt her glare pin them to their seats.

"It was fun." He admitted and pulled on an amused smile to hide his deeper emotions. "She is a great actress to work with. She always does her best and her characters are so deep." Any further praise was ended when a very irritated Kyoko tried to make a happy Bo bring out the question eggs for the next section. A few eggs dropped out as she deposited the basket a little too hard on the table.

"Easy there Bo." Shinchi cautioned as the rooster bent to pick up the rampant eggs. She placed them back in the basket before bowing her apology and escaping from the stage. Ren had watched his chicken friend's antics with a smile, they strangely reminded him of someone else, but he could not put his finger on it. "It looks like Bo is excited by your visit tonight Tsuruga-san." Ren laughed as they started into the next segment.

"This is the question and answer part of the show." Hikaru explained. "These eggs have been filled with things the audience wants to know about you, so go ahead and pick one." Ren reach out and took up an egg from the basket. Tapping it lightly on the table, he split the shell in half and removed the slip of paper inside.

"What is the best thing you have ever eaten?" Ren read the question out loud. It was an odd question for this type of show, but he thought about it and could only come up with one answer. "A few weeks ago, a friend of mine made the best Obanzai Ryori that I had ever had. It was amazing the way she teased the flavor out of the simple dishes." He admitted. Kyoko was stunned by his answer. How could her cooking be the best thing he had ever eaten?

"Oh, so there's a woman in your life?" Yusei teased the older actor. Ren tried hard not to blush at the teens teasing.

"I am not dating anyone at this time." Ren tried to side step the question. Shinchi picked up on Ren's evasion and took him where he really did not want to go on live TV.

"SO, you're not DATING anyone, but is there anyone one you like?" Unable to sidestep this direct question Ren took a sip of his drink before answering.

"This is someone I like, but she does not know it yet. So I will decline to say who it is." Ren composed himself by picking up and toying with the next egg. Even with the prompting from the hosts and audience, he still refused to reveal anything about his hearts affections. Seeing that they were getting nowhere, Hikaru suggested that he break into the next egg. Ren groaned inwardly as he read the next question.

"Describe your perfect woman." Ren could hear the squee issuing from Yashiro just off stage. It was joined by additional chorales of joy from the audience as they realized they would get to hear more about the mystery girl that Ren was infatuated with. Glad that Kyoko did not watch this show, she had turned it off every time it had come on, he went on to describe all of the good qualities that she could not see in herself. "I would have to say that she is fun-loving and dedicated with a good heart. Sometime she is a little complicated to understand, but aren't all women." Light chuckle issued from the men in the crowd. "But she makes me smile…." Ren left the rest of the description to the audience's imagination. He did not want to give too much away or else someone would be able to make the connection between him and Kyoko.

"That is so sweet." Hikaru started, but was interrupted when Bo brought out the next guest in handcuffs. The idol struggled a little for affect before the chicken released her as Hikaru introduced the musician. Ren caught Bo's wing as he took the egg from his hand. His eyes held an unvoiced thank you to the chicken. He was grateful that the costumed actor had not mentioned anything to anyone about his affections or dilemma. Kyoko bowed Bo's head and pulled away from the actor with the eggs before anyone noticed the exchange. Well, almost anyone, Yashiro's eyes chased after the retreating chicken. How were Ren and the chicken connected; and what did this bird know?

While the entertainers conversed with the new arrival, Yashiro slipped backstage to find Ren's feathered friend. It was high time he confronted the poultry. He was easily able to find the chicken heading into the prop room with the basket of eggs. Stopping in the doorway he watched as the mascot stow the basket and pull off the head of the hot costume. Shock took over when the performer shook the sweat from her familiar auburn hair.

"Kyoko?" Kyoko's heart stopped as a voice called her name. Whipping around, she nearly died when she came face to face with a very surprised Yashiro. He was slowly advancing on her trying to figure out what was going on. Kyoko dropped into a dogeza bow and begged Yashiro's forgiveness for not acknowledging him before. Yashiro levered the girl into a sitting position and tried to make out the distraught teens explanation. All he really caught was that she did not want Ren to know she was Bo. A stage hand interrupted her rambling to let her know that she only have a few seconds till she was needed on stage again. Yashiro got her to her feet and promised not to tell, if she would give him a detailed explanation later. Kyoko thanked him, replaced Bo's head, and went out to finish the show as Yashiro returned to Ren's waiting room to think about what he had just discovered.

After saying a farewell to his chicken friend, Ren returned to his dressing room to find Yashiro with a 'cat that just ate the canary' smile on his face. Something was up and Ren did not like it.

"So how do you know the chicken?" Yashiro questioned. He wanted to hear Ren's side of the story. He had puzzled out most of what Kyoko had said while waiting for the show to end.

"I've met him a few times here in the studio." Ren admitted he could see that there was no way that Yashiro would let this slide. "He is a good listener." That mischievous grin on Yashiro's face widened slightly.

"A good listener huh." This put a little more light on what Kyoko had been talking about. He now understood why she did not want the actor to find out. Ren had told the chicken things that Kyoko was not supposed to know. He felt a little twinge of jealousy that the man he had known for so long felt more comfortable talking to a guy, or in this case a girl, in a chicken suit then he did with his friend. "Anyway," He changed the subject. "We need to get over to the lobby or we may miss picking up Kyoko." Ren agreed; glad to not have to answer any more questions about the chicken. The two friends gathered their things to go wait for Kyoko in the lobby.

Kyoko was almost glad that Yashiro had found out her secret when she saw the speed at which he removed her problem from the studio, now she could tend to her props properly without worrying about being found out. She had to hurry to make sure they did not keep them waiting long.


	40. Chapter 41

I present the next chapter. Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Catherine had found a comfortable seat on one of the benches in the smaller hallway leading from the stages to the lobby. It was along the path that Kyoko would have to take to get out and it was just off the main walkway, but it was the only one that had cushions on it. She was really appreciating the cushion on the bruise hip as she listened to the MP3s she had gotten offline. She had been interested in what type of person Fuwa Sho was and had downloaded all of his songs to study. She had taken off the confining sling and was sitting with her eyes closed humming along with the tune. She had already gone through them all twice and was just starting into the song that was going to be used for the upcoming PV when she felt a shadow fall across her. She opened her eyes to find a very mad teen with spiky blond hair towering over her.

"Can I help you?" Catherine asked calmly as pulled out her ear buds and gave her full attention to the man blocking her view. Sho quivered at the audacity of the foreign woman as he recognized his unreleased single coming from her MP3 player. He was just leaving one of the music talk shows when he thought he heard her hum a snippet of the chorus line, but now he was sure. And she did not even have the decency to be embarrassed about the pirated music!

"Where did you get that song?" The young man practically yelled at her. Catherine shut her player off and stared up at him with calm eyes.

"That is none of your concern." She answered. Something about this boy tickled at the back of her mind, but she just could not place him.

"What the HELL do you mean it's none of my concern! IT'S MY SONG! Where did you get it?" Pissed that another one of his songs had been stolen, he grabbed the woman up by the front of the coat and jerked her to her feet and shook her. "Tell me!" In his furry he missed the painful hiss she issued. Now that she knew who this irate man was, she understood his anger. Had her wrist and shoulder not been injured, she would have beaten the jerk down a notch. Instead, she pulled out another trick.

"Haruki Asami gave it to me so that I could prepare for the filming of your PV, Fuwa-san." Catherine cried as she let big crocodile tears run down her cheeks. The tears were not totally faked due to the pain shooting from her injured joint. Shocked by her response Sho released her and Catherine dropped to the floor. He knew that Haruki Asami had asked Kyoko to be in his next PV, much to his chagrin, so who was this woman crying on the floor? She was saved from comforting the unknown woman by a cry from down the hall.

"Catherine!" Sho turned to the male voice to see Yashiro and Ren running down the hallway. They had witnessed her being snatch up and then dropped by the singer, but had been too far away to do anything. Yashiro fell to the sobbing woman as Ren grabbed up the singer by the front of his jacket.

"What are you doing attacking an injured woman?" Ren shook the singer in his hands. Shock filled Sho's face as the actor's words sunk in. He looked down to find Yashiro had pulled the girl's coat off and was making her put her arm back in the sling he had missed hanging from her neck. Part of the bruise on her shoulder could just be seen peeking out the neckline of her dress. Once the restraint was in place, Yashiro gathered the injured woman up gently and tried to sooth her.

Kyoko had finished her work quickly and was running to catch up with the actors. She did not want to make her friends wait in the lobby for her. She turned the corner into the hallway and came up short at the sight before her. Her respected senpai had that baka singer by the collar shaking the life out of him as he lectured him. Sho was attempting to mutter an apology to the angry man while Yashiro held Catherine where she sat on the floor.

"You do not do those kind of things to women, injured or not." Ren shook the singer to punctuate every word of the lesson. Kyoko closed on them listening to what her senpai was saying as she tried to figure out what happened. Sho's eyes widened as he caught the auburn hair of the confused actress as she drew near. Ren noticed his change and looked over to see what had caused the fright in Sho's face. He dropped the singer and stepped away from him as he watched the anger grow in Kyoko as she slowly understood what was going on.

"What did you do to my manager Shoutaro?" The soft voice that Kyoko spoke in was worse than if she had screamed at her. Sho's mind froze. He had seen her violently mad at him, but that was nothing compared to the smoldering furry that filled her now. Kyoko could take anything he threw at her, but she would not stand for him abusing her friends. The teen singer was saved from his childhood friend's anger when Catherine spoke up from the floor. She knew this could get out of control very fast.

"We had a misunderstanding." Catherine had pulled away from her protector to defuse the situation. Eyes now dry from her outburst, Catherine attempted to rise from the floor. Yashiro got up and lifted her to her feet. "Thank you." She spoke softly to her helper before turning her attention back to the trouble at hand. "He was upset to discover I had a copy of his unreleased song, and when I would not tell him how I got it, he got… physical." Sho quickly agreed with the woman.

"See, if she had just explained herself from the start, this could have been avoided." Both Ren and Yashiro bristled at the accusation that Catherine had done wrong. The look Kyoko shot at the singer would have killed him if possible. Catherine just smiled at him warmly.

"If you had properly introduced yourself, I would have realized who you were before I made the error." Kyoko dug at the singer just a little. Her hip hurt from where he had dropped her to the floor and she was starting to tire of playing nice. Sho open his mouth to retort, but could not find anything to argue with that statement. He was starting to feel bad that he had manhandled the injured woman.

"I am sorry that I hurt you." Sho finally stepped up and did what was right, even if it was mumbled and the bow was more of a head nod. Realizing this was the best she was going to get, Catherine bowed slightly to the singer.

"I apologize for being rude." She cringed as the movement caused her hip to hurt. Kyoko and Yashiro both raised hands to the woman as pain-filled sounds escaped from her. She let them set her back on the bench while Sho watched on with regret in his eyes.

"How did she get hurt?" He inquired.

"She was hit by a car saving Mogami-san from the road." Ren explained to the singer. Sho could hear the emotion in his voice. He was angry about this.

"Why was she in the road?" Several different scenarios ran through Sho's head, all involving Kyoko's absent mindedness or her stupidity.

"She was pushed." The heat in Ren's words scorched across the singer's skin. Sho's eyes widened as he turned to look at his childhood friend, almost turned road kill.

"Who would do such a thing?" Sho exclaimed, shocked showed clearly in his' voice. This time it was Kyoko that rounded on the singer.

"If you would get control of your fan's then maybe things like this wouldn't happen!" Kyoko yelled at him. "It was bad enough that she got hit in the head with a brick because of you and those stupid rumors!" Sho physically took a step back as Kyoko's grudges swarmed him. What was she talking about, what brick? He was saved from more abuse when Shouko walked down the hall. She had been waiting in the lobby for the singer, and when he did not show up, she came to see what had happened to him.

"What brick?" Shouko asked the question that passed through Sho's head.

"Saunders-san was the unlucky recipient of a brick to the head when the last set of rumors when public." Yashiro explained to the singer's manager. He indicated the woman seated on the bench next to him.

"She only got hit because she was trying to get me out of the way." Kyoko cried. She still felt bad about the whole incident. Catherine unconsciously raised her hand to the scar on her temple as she remembered the incident. Sho stared at her with an open mouth; no one had informed him about an attack on Kyoko.

"Ok, let's start again, what is going on here?" Shouko took in the anger and concern coming from the group.

"This idiot was assaulting my manager." Kyoko pointed an accusing finger at the singer as her grudges bounced off of him. Sho slammed his mouth shut and started to defend himself when Shouko turned on him.

"What did you do?" She could see the headlines if this got out 'Singer Attacks Injured Woman'. Before he could say anything, Shouko had the singer by the head and forced him into a deep bow. Joining her charge she addressed the woman that she assumed he has the conflict with. "Please accept our deepest apology for this incident. I will personally make sure that this does not happen again."

"Please." Catherine was shocked by the woman's actions. "We have already had words." Catherine stood to greet the woman. "I am Catherine Saunders, Kyoko's new manager." Shouko rose and greeted the woman back introducing herself and her charge. After Catherine relayed the entire incident to the group, Shouko nodded her understanding.

"That explains things." Shouko went on, "Please forgive my brainless charge. He recently had an experience with some plagiarism and has become very protective over his work." Sho huffed at her words, but refused to comment on it.

"I trust you will speak with him about this type of action in public." Catherine warned. "It is lucky that no one saw the exchange, or it could have been very bad for Fuwa-san's image." Sho blushed at the woman's words. He couldn't help but like the fact that she was more worried about his reputation then the fact that he had hurt her.

"Believe me, I will." Shouko glared at the rockstar. Sho crossed his arms and pouted. He knew he was wrong, but he felt he was justified in his anger at the time. She had not even let him defend himself. Shouko bowed and apologized again before leading her sulking charge away. Catherine sat back now on the bench with a pain-filled grunt. The rough handling had caused her to hurt again. Her three companions looked on with saddened eyes as she tried to deal with the pain.

"Yashiro-san, there is a pill bottle in the pocket of my coat. Could you get it for me?" Yashiro riffled through the pockets till he came up with the orange bottle and pulled out a pill. Kyoko turned to go get the girl something to wash it down with. Ren started to follow her until Catherine's voice stopped him.

"Ren." The soft use of his given name pulled his attention back to the injured woman. Yashiro glanced between Catherine and Ren. Seeing that she wanted to talk to the tall actor, he decided to give them some privacy and chased after Kyoko. Catherine watched the man loping after Kyoko before returning her attention to the tall actor. Ren knelt down so that they were on eye level. "Thank you for defending me." Catherine's mind turned to a time in Ren's life when the abusive singer would not have gotten away with just a little shaking and harsh words. "You really have change for the better. Rick would be proud." Stunned by the mention of his dead friend, Ren covered the wrist empty of his shackle. He closed his eyes as a gentle smile crept across his face while he thought of the reason the keepsake was not there. Kuon looked back at the girl sitting on the bench.

"It's all because of her, and you are right. He would be proud." Any further discussion was prevented as the young woman in question came pounding up with a can of juice for her manager. Ren slipped his mask back on and backed away from the pair as Kyoko made sure that Catherine took her pills. Yashiro's keen eyes had caught the change in his charge as they approached, but he did not know what it meant. He studied Ren as he watched his beloved kohai fuss over her manager with an endearing look on his face. He decided to store it in the file with Ren's other oddities and turned his attention to the conversation between women.

"… sure that jerk did not hurt you?" Kyoko fussed as she tried to inspect Catherine for visible signs of damage. "I can't believe he would shake an injured woman like that."

"To be honest, he probably did not realize I was injured. I had taken the sling off and put my coat on over it." Catherine admitted as Kyoko glared at her. "The strap was starting to hurt my neck." Catherine tried to defend her decision. Kyoko gave the sheepish woman an exasperated sigh.

"You should not have taken it off." Ren smiled slightly as Kyoko chastised her manager, he had been on the receiving end of that tone too many times not to sympathize with the injured woman.

"Excuse me ladies, I think it is time that we get out of here." Ren interrupted the irritated woman, saving Catherine from Kyoko's lecture on proper health management. Kyoko snapped up to remember there were other people present.

"I am so sorry for keeping you Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko bowed a quick apology to her senpai before starting to help Catherine to her feet. She was relieved of the burden when Yashiro stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder. Seeing the bespectacled man's protectiveness over the injured woman, Kyoko retreated and let him help as much as Catherine would let him. Too tired to argue with him, Catherine let Yashiro pull her up and drape her coat over the shoulders before he place his hand gently on her lower back to guild through the lobby.

Kyoko and Ren stood close together and watched the touching scene between their managers. It was obvious from the tender way he cared for the woman, Yashiro really liked Catherine. Ren was also pretty sure that she liked him, for she did not pull away when he invaded her personal space. It was either that, or she was just too tired to put up a fight. Ren sighed as he resisted the urge to put his arm around the girl next to him and pull her against him. He closed his eyes and let his mind dwelled on the thought as he imagined what she would fell like pressed to his side. When he opened them back up, he found the girl he had been daydreaming about had left his side and was taking the same path of their friends. The actor steeled himself and followed the actress as he tried to pull his fallen mask back into place. He was starting to have a hard time resisting his urges when it came to that girl. The only thing keeping him from moving ahead was his fear of scaring her off completely.

Authors note: I find writing for Sho hard, mainly because he ticks me off and I REALLY want to just slap him around. I hope I did him justice.


	41. Chapter 42

Next section, I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I don't own Skip Beat!**

Lory arranged a car and driver for Catherine and Kyoko for the next few days until Catherine's shoulder healed enough for her to drive again. It was no time at all till Catherine was back sporting her usually tank top, jeans, and black trench coat. Kyoko did not understand how the woman could where that heavy thing now that the summer had set in fully. It was just way too hot, but the temperature did not seem to bother Catherine.

On one particulate day, the LoveMe crew spent most of the morning redacting and shredding old documents. Chiori was out on another job, which left Kanae, Kyoko, and Catherine to handle the tedious work.

"Why do we have to do all do all of this!" Kanae dropped what would be her tenth box of paperwork on the table before ripping the top off of it. "Doesn't the president have secretaries to do this stuff?" She pulled the first of the folders out and dumped the paperwork into her work space.

"Moko-san. It's part of our job." Kyoko tried to calm her frustrated friend. "Anyway, at least we get to spend time together." Kyoko beamed happily at her friend. Since all of the rumors had started, she had not gotten a chance to spend any time with her friend. Catherine felt kind of bad that she had been keeping Kyoko away from the long hair teen. Catherine looked up from the paper she had just finished coloring to find that it was almost 11 o'clock. She needed to go see the president to give him an update on Kyoko's situation. Having finished the box that she was empting, Catherine stood up and stretched.

"If you ladies will excuse me for a bit, I have a meeting to make before lunch." Catherine collapsed the file box and placed it on the stack with the rest of the empty boxes. "I will meet you in the locker room after lunch, Kyoko-chan." Catherine left to give her report. The two friends spent the rest of their time together chatting about the jobs they had done recently.

The pink of Catherine's LoveMe jumpsuit was out of place against the red and black of the gothic décor of the President's office. She settled herself into the crushed velvet of his chairs to wait for Lory to finish his phone call. The man himself sat on the edge of this desk in full vampire regalia, complete with fangs and violet cat's eye contacts. A velvet cape was draped over the center of the desk. Having finished his business on the phone, he slipped the jewel encrusted item into his pocket and turned his attention to his waiting guest.

"Vhat do you have to report this veek?" Lory asked with a typical Transylvanian vampire accent. Catherine stifled a laugh at the man's antics.

"Nothing new. Things have been fairly quiet." Catherine petted the soft fabric on the arm of the chair. She was amazed how Lory could change the décor of his office so much. He must have a million different chairs stuck in a closet somewhere.

"And you?" Lory prodded Catherine into a subject that she had not wanted to cover.

"Better." Catherine stood up and slipped out of the top of her LoveMe coveralls back to reveal a dark tank top and the bruise that had turned a lovely shade of yellowish-green. "The hip is about the same and neither hurt now." Catherine sat back down letting the top of her suit hang from her waist. Lory nodded his approval before Catherine continued. "So have you heard anything new on the rumors?" This brought a frown to Lory's face.

"Unfortunately I have." Lory shifted the cloak and retrieved a thick folder from his desktop. He handed the file to Catherine to look through. She recognized this folder as the same thin folder that she looked through on the pirate ship just after her first encounter with Sho's fans. There was significantly more information in it now. Catherine flipped through a multiple reports from a plethora of detectives. The all came to the same conclusion. "As you can see, we may have a slight issue."

"I see what you mean." Catherine pulled out an official looking document and read over it. "Do you think this is related to Kyoko getting pushed in front of that car?"

"I hope not," Lory sighed. "But I am afraid that it is." Catherine put the paperwork back into the file and handed it back. "Please watch her very closely for now. I have a few lawyers working on the problem now."

"Of course." Catherine stood to return to her charge. "I will keep her safe." Catherine reassured the worried man.

"I know you will do your best. Please don't tell Kyoko about this until we know what can be done about it." Catherine agreed with Lory's request before leaving his office.

"If we can just make it through till December when Kyoko turns 18 and this will all be over." Lory prayed to the empty office hoping some deity would hear him and protect his young employ.

Catherine arrived to the LoveMe locker room before the two teens did. She quickly stripped off her LoveMe jumpsuit and redressed in her normal tank top and jeans. Her mind spun on the problem just presented to her. If what she had read was true, then Kyoko could be in serious danger in the next few months. Catherine made a mental list of things that she would need to prepare in case things got out of hand. She settled her coat on to her shoulders as Kanae and Kyoko burst into the room.

"I don't ever want to see another paper shredder in my life." Kanae complained as she yanked off her coveralls. "I don't think I will ever be able to get all the ink off my hands." Kyoko agreed with her as she changed into her normal clothing for the ride to her filming. She had to be on location at 2 for her guest appearance in Ren's police drama. "Hey Kyoko-chan, we need to go out together sometime in the near future." Kanae suggested as the two girls got ready to leave. It was the closest thing to admitting that she missed her friend that Kanae would allow.

"That's a wonderful idea!" Kyoko squealed her delight. "How about we go out for ice cream next Thursday afternoon?"

"I am free so as long as it is ok with your manager, I am fine with it." The two girls looked to Catherine. She mentally checked to make sure that Kyoko was free before nodding her approval. Kyoko flung herself at Kanae for a bone grinding hug before the older actress could avoid her. Inside Kanae was glad that they would be able to spend some free time together.

"Come on Kyoko-chan." Catherine saved Kanae from being crushed. "If we don't get going, we will not have time to get lunch when we get there." Kyoko released her friend and bit her farewell before following her manager out to her car. Catherine stripped off her coat and deposited it in the back of the car before she got in. Kyoko pulled out her scrip to go over her lines one last time while Catherine maneuvered the car into traffic. Before long the pair was speeding along the Shuto Expressway in fairly light traffic. Catherine looked in her mirror and let out a light laugh. "Look who'd behind us." Kyoko pulled herself from her script and turned around in her seat to see a familiar silver sports car. Kyoko's phone rang as she turned back around in her seat. Catherine smiled and returned her attention back to the road. She was uncomfortable boxed in between the large truck on her left side and the concrete wall to her right. She hoped the car in front of her would speed up so she could get out of the confining space.

"I see you." Yashiro teased. "Are you on your way to the shoot?" He asked Kyoko.

"Yes, we were going to stop and have lunch when we got in that area." Kyoko explained why they were so early.

"Nice, how about Ren and I join you for lunch?" Yashiro smiled at his charge. Ren just sighed and shook his head at his manager's continuing his matchmaking.

"That would be wonderful. Where would you like to go?" Kyoko and Yashiro talked it out and hung up to inform the drivers of the meeting place. Catherine only partially listened to her; the driver in front of her was acting weird. He would speed up some and then slow down suddenly. Catherine backed off and gave herself ample distance behind the crazy car. When the car sped up again, Catherine followed to try and pass the truck so she could get around the erratic driver. She reached the cab of the larger truck just as a new car came shooting on to the expressway clipping the front end of the truck, causing it to swerve badly. Kyoko screamed as Catherine stomped on the break trying to get out of the way, but it was not enough to completely save them. The truck crossed into her lane and pushed her car over so that the driver's side door scraped against the concrete wall. With no way to get away from the large speeding truck, the two girls were dragged along as the truck driver over corrected, veering away from them, and bounced off the concrete wall on the other side of the road. Catherine cried out to her terrified passenger as she saw the truck shutter before tilting up and over.

Author's note: Muhahahaha…. Got to love cliff hangers!


	42. Chapter 43

I would like to apologize for the short chapter. I have used up my stock of writing so I am putting it up as I go now. I plan to keep up with the rapid pace of updates, but there has been a kink in my plans. It has been brought to my attention that the legal age in Japan is 20. I would like to thank Sumi031885 for this information. I really do appreciate that you would care enough to correct me. Thank you. Unfortunately, this fact blows a BIG hole in my story line as it is. After a LOT of online research I have not been able to come up with a good alternate ending under the given conditions. So after sleeping on the issue, I have decided to take an artistic license and, for the story's sake, I am going to let the legal age be 18. I apologize to anyone that takes offence that I changed the rules to suit my needs, but I can promise a much better story in the end.

Thank you for your continuing support.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Yashiro hung up his phone and smiled up at his charge with that 'bird fed cat' look on his face. Ren had listened to Kyoko and his manager agreed to a small café near where the filming was going to take place. It was all he could do to suppress the smile that threatened to cross his face. He did not have to work on it for long as he watched the road before him. Catherine was being very cautious of the driver in front of her. Ren watched the erratic behavior and backed off so that Catherine could get away from the vehicle. His heart stopped as he witnessed the small car speeding up the ramp and ram into the front end of the semi next to the LME car. Ren slammed on the breaks while horror took over Yashiro as the two men watched the truck slam the much smaller car into the center divider and dragging it along before swerving away. Ren had a moment of hope that Catherine could get away from the truck, but this was short lived as the truck swung back towards the girls. Both men screamed out, unable to do anything, as they watched the truck teetered up and come crashing down on top of the car containing their loves.

Ren tore from the now stopped sports car as his mind tried to make sense of the scene playing out before him. The back doors of the now toppled truck had popped open and what appeared to be gray foam cascaded forth. Ignoring the mess, Ren ran to where he had seen the small car just a few moments before, praying that he had been mistaken and the girls had made it passed the truck before it fell over. His heart fell when he cleared the truck and the LME car was nowhere to be seen. The car had disappeared, completely crushed under the heavy box truck. Not thinking right, Ren screamed his kohai's name and pushed on the truck about where the car had been to see if he could shift the enormous thing. When this did not work, he dropped to the ground to see if he was able to locate the car and its occupants under the twisted metal. His vision was only met with more of the gray substance leaking from a crack in the side of the truck. Ren shoved his hands into the cold pebble like material to clear it, but only more of it skittered out with every swipe. Seeing the futility of his work, Ren stopped and looked at the cold chunks clinging to his arms, shrimp. Hundreds of pounds of frozen shrimp were flooding out in the expressway from the toppled truck.

Yashiro sat frozen as Ren rushed from the car to the fallen truck. Unable to handle what had just happened, the manager's emotions shut down as he slipped into business more. Things needed taken care of before he could allow himself to breakdown. He pulled out the phone that he had just finished talking to Kyoko on and called the police for an emergency crew. Once he relayed as much information as he could, he called the director of Ren's drama and informed him that there had been an accident on the expressway and Ren and Kyoko would be very late. Unable to go into the details again, Yashiro hung up the phone and went to the actor trying to move the large truck. Yashiro dodged the handfuls of flying shrimp as he approached the frantic actor slinging the mass from the edge of the truck. Ren paused in his pursuit long enough for Yashiro to get to him.

"Ren! Stop!" Yashiro pulled the actor up from the ground and away from the truck. "An emergency crew is on the way." Unsure of what else he could do, Ren let his manager lead him back from the truck and seat him next to the center concrete wall. A few other witnesses had approaching the truck to check on the driver. They pulled the shaken and bloody driver from the cab and laid him on the roadway. One bystander came to check on the condition of the distressed man slumped against the divider.

"Are you ok?" The woman asked as she approached the men. Yashiro stood protectively over his charge while Ren covered his hung head with his hands, trying not to think about what had become of his love trapped under the truck.

"No." Yashiro answered honestly. "Some friends of ours are trapped under the box of the truck." There was no life in the manager's voice as he explained the problem to the woman. Shock filled her face as she whipped around to look at the trailer concealing the car. The first of the police cars was just arriving on the scene and she went to inform them of the tragedy. Ren looked up at the sound of the sirens hoping that they had not come too late for the actress trapped in the wreckage. The actor looked at the man standing next to him and wondered how his manager could be so calm while he fell apart. He studied the man's hand for a second before he registered the tremble that Yashiro was trying to suppress. Yashiro clenched his fist around his phone as he tried to find the calm spot inside him. He needed it just long enough to get through this and make sure Ren would be ok. To his surprise, Ren shot up and ripped the electronic devise out of his hand. Before he could say anything, the actor dialed the number engraved on his heart and waited for the phone to connect. Ren chewed on his bottom lip and paced as the phone range several times before going to voice mail. He tired it several more times with the same results before he switched numbers. Finding Catherine's number in Yashiro's phonebook, he called her hoping for better results.


	43. Chapter 44

Here is the next bit. See I am not completely evil leaving you hanging on a double cliffhanger for long. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

The shrill tones of Kyoko's phone pulled Catherine to consciousness. She groaned and smacked her lips as she tried to figure out where she was. The copper taste of blood cut through the fuzz as she ran her tongue over the slightly bleeding lip she had cracked on the back of Kyoko's head. Having foreseen their fate, Catherine had hit the release on the terrified actress' seat belt and shoved her to the floorboard before the truck crushed the top down trapping the girls in the car. The phone sounded again as Catherine opened her eyes to stare into the darkness filling the car. She could feel the small shard of windshield glass and something cold pressing into her cheek and arm as she shifted on the passenger seat. Taking stock of her pains, Catherine found that she was pinned by the steering column where it had been pressed in to her lap and she had a sharp pain in her side from the angle at which she was bent, but she didn't feel seriously hurt. She shifted her arm up to find the actress slumped on the floor.

"Kyoko." Catherine called as she patted the unconscious girl on the shoulder. Kyoko moaned as the phone rang again. Kyoko moved and was brought back to life by something cold that slipped from the top of her head and fell down the back of her shirt. The girl squealed and tried to thrash about until Catherine grabbed her shoulder. "Be still!" Catherine hissed. Kyoko's head came dangerously close to hitting Catherine in the face again. "Breathe." Catherine tried to calm the frightened actress. Kyoko took several deep breaths as she forced herself to be still. Once calmer, she squirmed so she could pull her shirt out to let the cold thing fall to the floorboards behind her. The phone buzzed again. "Can you reach that?" Catherine asked the girl jammed in the confined space. The shrill tone was starting to get on her nerves. She had a good idea about who was calling and figured he would continue until he got an answer. Kyoko tried to wiggle enough to reach the device, but being a victim of inertia, it had slid under the seat into the back floorboard.

"No, I can't get too it." Kyoko fidgeted a little more trying for the irritating thing as it rang once more. She gave up and relaxed into as much of a comfortable position as she could get.

"Are you ok?" Catherine changed the subject to a more pressing issue. She could not see her charge in the darkness caused by the truck. Kyoko felt her forehead and found a bump in the middle of a sore spot, but there was no blood. Otherwise the girl was mostly unharmed.

"I think so." Any more response was cut off by Kyoko's phone ringing again. Catherine snickered in response, not because the situation was funny, but because she needed to let off some tension. Catherine laughed even harder when the phone in her pocket lit up.

"He's calling me now." Catherine chuckled as she fidgeted to get the phone vibrating in her pocket. She accidently hit the receive button as she slipped the devise out.

Ren paced as he tried Kyoko's manager's number, his anxiety growing with each unanswered call. He froze when the call finally connected.

"Catherine." He called anxiously into the receiver. Yashiro tensed as the sound of the actor's voice. Ren could only hear rustling and a loud thump followed by an explicative as Catherine fished the fallen phone back up. Ren started to breathe again when he heard the dulcet tones of Catherine's voice echoing through the phone.

"You know there are laws against phone harassment." A spark of hope flared in Ren's chest. If Catherine was well enough to tease him, then they were ok, but he had to make sure.

"Is she ok?" Catherine could hear the worry in the Ren's voice. Catherine looked over to where she could just see the trapped actress in the light from her phone.

"Well, if you call being trapped in a pile of broken glass and….. what are these?" Catherine poked at one of the grayish cold chunks beside her face. "Shrimp? Why are there shrimp in my car?" Catherine remembered what she was saying. "Oh, right. If trapped in a pile of broken glass and shrimp is ok, than she is just hunky dory." Relief washed over the tall actor as his knees buckled under him and he dropped to the roadway. Yashiro closed the distance to his charge eager for news of the girls.

"Would you like to talk to her?" Catherine could tell what the actor wanted. Ren nodded before realizing that Catherine could not see it and voiced his answer. Catherine held the phone out for the actress to take, addressing the girl in a sing-song tone. "It's for you." Kyoko took the phone and spoke into the receiver.

"Hello." Ren closed his eyes and relished every note of his beloved kohai's voice.

"Oh, thank god. Are you alright Kyoko?" Ren had to hear it from his love before he could be calm.

"Yes. I got a bump on my head, but I think I am ok." Kyoko touched the knot again. Ren relaxed in the knowledge of the girl's safety. Yashiro, on the other hand, was ready to rip the phone away from Ren so that he could find out about Catherine. Hearing that Ren had reached the trapped girls had jumpstarted the emotions that he had shut down. Ren could feel the nervous energy rolling off his manager as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. Ren looked up at the anxious man and asked the question he could see in his friends face.

"How is Catherine?" Kyoko turned her head to see the woman resting across the seat behind her. Kyoko could read the pain growing on her face in the light of the phone. Catherine's legs were pinned firmly to the driver's seat while her body bent over sharply to lie on the passenger's seat. She could not sit up to relieve the pressure on her spine due to the crushed in top just a few inches above the woman. The only thing that kept the ceiling from resting on the manager was the broken seat back and the dashboard. Catherine tried to breathe normally, but the presser on her ribs from the strange position was starting to make her pant lightly.

"I think she is ok for the moment, but we need to get her out of here as soon as possible." Worries slipped back into Ren as he listened to the actress describe the position her manager was trapped in. Yashiro keyed in on Ren's worry and stilled as he waited for a verdict from the actor.

"Just tell them I am ok and to get the dam truck off us." Catherine interjected her opinion into conversation. Ren relayed the message to Yashiro. The male manager snickered in spite of the situation and turned to watch the first of the fire trucks pull up.

"The emergency crew is here." Ren reassured the young woman as he picked himself up from the road so he and Yashiro could head over to let them know the girls were alive. Upon hearing that they had a line into the crushed car, the EMT requested to talk to the trapped women. Kyoko updated the medic on their condition and the man handed the phone back to Ren so they could get moving. They determined that it was important to get the trapped manager out of the painful position as soon as possible.

The fire man spent the better part of an hour unloading the cases of shrimp to make it easier to tip the truck up off the car. Yashiro had stripped out of this jacket and jumped into the bucket line to help clear out the mess. When Ren offered, he was told by the EMT that he would best help by keeping the girls calm and informing them on the condition of the trapped women. Ren gave Kyoko a play by play detail of the clearing of the vehicle while Catherine kept them laughing with an unending supply of stupid jokes that were completely inappropriate give the current situation. After about thirty minutes, she informed Kyoko that she could no longer feel her legs and the muscles of her back were cramping up. Shortly after that, the older woman started perspiring profusely and stopped responding to Kyoko's words as she tried to control the pain issuing from her side. Ren's anxiety level rose when Catherine stopped poking fun at their predicament. Ren's eyes driffed to his friend tossing boxes from the back of the truck. He wasn't about to worry him more with this development.

Once most of the boxes had been shifted out of the truck, the road crew got a crane hooked up to truck. The EMT advised Ren to tell the girls to cover their heads as best they can while they pulled the truck off the car. Kyoko prodded Catherine back to attention and got her to cover her face before telling her senpai that they were ready. Yashiro joined Ren at a safe distance while the truck was lifted to reveal the mangled car containing the girls. The only thing that kept the actor from running to the flattened car was the phone pressed to the side of his head. Yashiro had to turn away when the emergency crew descended upon the twisted metal with the hydraulic cutters. His heart would not let him stand there and watch without being able to help. Ren placed his hand on the distressed man's shoulder trying to comfort him. It only took a few minutes for the 'jaws of life' to chomp through the top of the torn up car and the fire fighters to fold the thick metal back to expose the two trapped women. Unable to hear anything but the crunching metal through the phone, Ren hung on with all the patience of a father awaiting his first child as he inched closer to the wreckage. The crew helped Catherine to straighten out before they extracted the cramped actress. Ren's heart leapt to the sound of cheering as the firemen lifted the stiff girl from the car and gently lowered her to the ground on the driver's side of the car, away from the mangled truck.

Kyoko staggered as her sore muscles refused her weight. She was saved from the ground as Ren grabbed her up and crushed her to his crest. The EMT could not stop the man from taking possession of the young woman as she came out of the car. Ren squeezed the girl against him and kissed her temple. He did not care if she tried to run right now, he needed to feel her against him to know that she was safe. The entire ordeal had completely crushed his self-control. Seeing that he was not going to get the injured girl from the tall man, the EMT took Ren by the elbow and pulled the two over to the waiting ambulance to check the girl over. Ren loosened his hold on Kyoko just enough to pick her up and follow the medic away from the wreck that the crew was trying to get Catherine out of.

Kyoko's mind was not working as she let the tall actor cradle her in his arms. She was relived to be free of the terrifying ordeal, but she was not sure how to handle the blatant affection that Ren was showing her at the moment. Even to her love-resistant brain, she could feel the emotion Ren put into his embrace. The tender kiss he had pressed to her temple had burnt its self into her skin. Her grudges ran around screaming as they looked for a way to keep the last of the locks on her box. Chalking his behavior up to the stressful situation and his gentlemanly ways, Kyoko rested her head against her senpai's chest and relaxed. She felt like she was taking advantage of his kindness, but she had just spent the last hour listening to his voice reassuring her that everything would be ok, and as she rested in his arms, she believed it. A twinge of regret filled her as Ren sat her down in the ambulance so the medic could check her over. The actor started to pull away only to find that his hand was trapped by the young girl. He gave her a smile so gentle that it made one of the female onlookers pass out before he laced his fingers together with hers. Ren could feel that his mask had cracked and he was not sure if any amount of glue to tape could ever repair it. Something nagged at Ren's consciousness as he realized that the fan-girl squeals he had come to expect at these moments were missing. He turned to find his personal cheering section was being held back by a couple of officers as he waited for news of the girl still trapped in the car. Ren had completely forgotten about the woman that the firemen were still cutting from the car. What was left of the joy he found at Kyoko's touch died as he watched the emergency squad carry over a backboard for the injured woman.


	44. Chapter 45

Here is the next section. I hope I have not made you wait too long to find out what happened to our new manager. Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Yashiro tried to get his pulse to slow as the emergency crews worked to clear the wreckage. He had cheered with the other onlookers when the firemen had lifted a mostly unharmed Kyoko from the twisted metal. He had even felt a little giddy when Ren scooped her up and carried her off to be checked out, but his happiness was short lived as he turned his attention back to the car that contained the woman that had touched his heart. He paced as the crew used the hydraulic cutters to get the driver's side door open so they had a better angle to remove the steering wheel from the girl's lap. They had to get two police officers to hold him off when the medics produced a white cloth to cover the girl with. They had to explain several times that it was for her protection and not because she was dead before he stopped struggling against them. He understood their caution when he saw the sparks flying from the giant rotary cutter as they started in on the bent steering column pressing into her trapped legs. The officers stayed with him as they watched the medics slipped a backboard underneath the woman before strapped her securely to it. The cops finally let him go to the injured woman after she had been pulled from the car and had been secured to a gurney for transport to the hospital.

"Hey there." Yashiro approached the woman slowly as he tried to gather himself for what he might find. Catherine turned her attention away from the medic putting in an IV to look at her visitor.

"Hey. I was sure you would be over checking on Kyoko." Catherine smiled as she teased the worried man. Seeing the depth of his concern, she reached out her hand to him. He stepped closer and took the offered appendage gently. He could see the small cuts decorating the back of her hand and arm from where she had been laying in the broken glass. Everything that he had suppressed washed over him as he dropped his head to her sternum and nearly broke down in tears. "Come on. Don't do that." Catherine tried to comfort him with a squeeze of the hand and a pat on the head. "I'm alright. I'm only on this thing so they could get me out from that cramped car. And hey, I get to have the ambulance ride that you all were so adamant I take." Yashiro laughed out his tension as she petted his head. Having finally put himself back together, Yashiro stood up and smiled warmly at the woman the medics were waiting to take away. Catherine smiled back at him as she squeezed his hand again as they started to wheel her to the ambulance where Kyoko and Ren had been watching the exchange.

Having been cleared by the EMT, Kyoko stood back and watched as they loaded her manager up for the trip to the hospital. The three friends quickly decided that Yashiro should ride in the ambulance with the woman and Ren would follow with Kyoko as soon as they were able to get past the mess. Catherine asked the two remaining behind to get her coat from the car before it was towed away. Kyoko agreed as she watched Yashiro climb inside for the ride. The two actors waved as the ambulance drove off in a cloud of flashing lights and screeching sirens. Ren walked Kyoko over to the damaged car and had the firemen help to retrieve the coat and Kyoko's phone from the back seat of the car. It was only when Ren handed the electronic device to her, that she remembered that she still had Catherine's phone in her hand.

"I still have Kat-san's phone!" Kyoko pulled out the article and showed it to Ren. Ren laughed and pulled out a phone and showed it to Kyoko.

"That's ok. I still have Yashiro's." Ren shook his head at the folly.

"But, how will we know where they took them!" Kyoko exclaimed.

The medic had let Yashiro into the ambulance first so he could tend to the wounds on Catherine's legs. Since there was no blood and Catherine's good humor had returned when they were able to straighten her out, there was really nothing to do but monitor her till they arrived at their destination. Yashiro studied her face as they bounced along the road and he recalled the last time he was in an ambulance.

"Do you think these guys will start giving me frequent flyer miles?" Catherine spoke up to break the tension riding the air. The medic chuckled at the bad joke. He had been listening to her wisecracks since before they pulled her from the car. When they covered her with the sheet, she had made them all smile when she told them that she didn't like white and asked if they had any Egyptian cotton with a floral pattern on it, preferably 400 threat-count or better. The humor continued when she had informed them that she would have gone on a diet if she had known they would have been carrying her. He could not help but like the woman. Yashiro's face softened before noticing something gray tangled in the woman's hair. Light disgust crossed his face as he carefully pulled the thawed prawn from her hair. Catherine turned to see what the man had removed.

"Are you taking my pet away?" Catherine faked a pout that made both of the men chuckle.

"You are a really lucky guy." The medic told Yashiro.

"We're not together." The medic's eyes dropped to where the man was still holding his patient's hand.

"Maybe you should consider it then." The medic turned his attention the heart monitor that had just registered an increase in Catherine's pulse as the woman blushed deeply. Yashiro cleared his throat and turned his attention to the ceiling as he tried not to blush too. "You two would make as cute a couple as the other pair did." The medic fiddled with his instruments. "I hadn't heard that Tsuruga Ren has such a cute girlfriend." Shock washed over both managers as they took in what the medic said.

"Um, they are not going out either." Catherine corrected him. The medic looked at her in disbelief.

"Well, they should be." Catherine and Yashiro laughed and agreed with the man as they arrived at the hospital.

It was about two hours later when Ren and Kyoko finally arrived at the hospital. It had not taken the road crew long to open up enough of the expressway to let cars start to pass again, but the actors were delayed because they could not find out where Catherine had been taken. Without a way to contact them, Ren had spent the better part of their time calling around to see if they could find the injured woman, but her name was not registered anywhere. Yashiro had called Lory when they first arrived to inform him of the accident, but it was not until they had taken Catherine for x-rays that he called the actors to bring Catherine some new clothing.

"I see you found the place." Yashiro teased the actors.

"It's weird. I am sure I called here to see if Saunders-san had been admitted, but they did not have her name listed." Ren puzzled about the oddity.

"Maybe it's because she hasn't made it out of the emergency room yet." Kyoko offered a plausible explanation. The men agreed and headed back to the little curtain covered room to see how she was doing. Catherine smiled when they came in. Ren noted that the woman had several small cuts on her face and a fat lip, but otherwise she look to be in high spirits.

"We need to stop meeting like this." Catherine teased her friend.

"So how are you doing?" Kyoko asked as she placed herself in the chair by her manager's bedside.

"Fantastic." Catherine admitted. "Once I could sit up again and the ache in my back stopped." Kyoko's eyes traveled down to Catherine's legs and Catherine answered her unasked question. "I do have some pain in my legs where they were trapped, but the feeling is back now and I can move them around without problems."

"But she is not supposed to." Yashiro looked pointy at the woman in the bed. Catherine rolled her eyes at the overprotective man.

"I know, I know. 'Wait until we get the x-rays back before you move them.'" Catherine quoted the doctor in a sarcastic tone. "How long does it take to get x-rays back?" Kyoko giggled at the impatient woman. "So did you guys pick me up something to wear?" Catherine changed the subject. "The nice girl in the ER decided it would be best to cut up my nice jeans verses letting me take them off." Yashiro sighed and shook his head.

"Only because they thought you may have broken your femur." He defended the nurse's decision; Catherine's retort was stopped as he continued. "And don't disagree again. I have seen the bruises."

"Oh so you were looking at my legs." Catherine teased him.

"Only because you threw such a fuss when they started cutting your pants off." Yashiro defended himself.

"Well what was I going to do?" Kathren crossed her arms over her chest. "The woman almost cut through my anklet while she was at it." Yashiro shook his hand and so the familiar woven loop of silver shifted around his wrist. After Kathren fussed, the nurse took it off and hooked it around his wrist for safe keeping. Both Kyoko and Ren watched the banter between their managers with surprised eyes. Yashiro sighed again and slipped his fingers under his glasses to rub his eyes.

"She has been like this since they pulled her out of the car." Yashiro explained to Ren. The tall actor placed his hand on his friend's should in a reassuring manor.

"I am sure it is just a self-defense mechanism, a way for her to let off tension. Give her some time and I am sure she will return to normal." Ren offered his advice. Yashiro nodded and straightened his glasses. The two men watched on as Kyoko recovered and presented a bag to Catherine.

"We stopped at the only clothing shop we could find along our way. I hope its ok." Catherine opened the package to reveal a light blue yukata with a large purple, green, and darker blue floral print on it. Before Catherine could comment, a doctor stepped through the curtain.

"Pardon me." The doctor started. "Yashiro-san, I have the results of your x-rays. There was …." The confusion that filled the faces of everyone in the room stopped the doctor.

"Excuse me. What did you call me?" Catherine asked.

"Um… I do have the right charts, don't I?" The doctor looked over the charts and checked Catherine's wrist band. "Yes, Yashiro Catherine, right?" Catherine almost fell out of bed laughing. The other occupants were too shocked to move. Once Catherine mirth subsided some, she informed the doctor of the error.

"I am sorry. There seems to be an error." Catherine pointed to the bespectacled man in the room. "HE is Yashiro-san. My name is Saunders." The doctor looked at the chart, then the woman in the bed, and then to the man that had come in with her. He turned back to the woman and bowed.

"I am extremely sorry for the error. We have just gotten a new receptionist and she must have made an error when entering the information. I will have this corrected right away. Please except my sincere apology." Catherine snickered again.

"It's alright, mistakes happened. So you had the results of the tests." She prodded the flustered doctor.

"Oh yes." He straightened up and turned his attention to his charts. "There was no break in either leg. Please take it easy for the next few days. Just take this to the receptionist on the way out and you are free to go." The doctor handed the paperwork to Catherine before leaving to correct the error.

"No wonder we could not find you listed at the hospital." Ren chuckled, "They must have thought you were married." Yashiro shot the man a dirty look and Catherine just shook her head as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Would you guys get out so I can changed." Catherine suggested. "Unless you want to help me get into this." She held up the yukata. The men shook their heads and slipped outside the curtain. Kyoko stayed to assist Catherine into the Japanese garb.

"But it does have a nice ring to it." Ren spoke just loud enough for his manager to hear him, "Yashiro Catherine." Yashiro glared at him then smiled.

"Almost as nice as Tsuruga Kyoko." Yashiro poked back. Both men fell silent and listened to Kyoko dress Catherine. Ren turned the thought over in his head. Tsuruga Kyoko. He liked that. It was almost as nice as Hizuri Kyoko.


	45. Chapter 46

Yays more chapters! I really did plan to only put up one chapter a day, but I just get so excited when I get one cleaned up, that I just have to get it out for you. I really hope you are enjoying this so far. Please let me know.

**Note: I don't own Skip Beat!**

It was a surprisingly long time before Kyoko slipped out from the curtain concealing Catherine's little corner of the emergency room. She smiled at the two waiting men before she pulled the curtain back to reveal her manager. Kyoko had wrapped the woman in the blue floral patterned yukata and held it in place with a contrasting red and black obi. The young woman had helped to comb out Catherine's long hair and pulled it up in an elegant twist held in place with a pair of decretive chops sticks. Ren smiled at the choices that his beloved kohai had made. He had been unable to find a parking spot near the shop, so he had sent Kyoko in with his credit card and the orders to pick out something that would look nice on her manager. It had only take Kyoko three minutes to return with the bag in hand. He was please when he saw the affect the traditional dress had on his manager.

Yashiro stood, open mouthed, staring at the elegantly dressed woman. Catherine blushed lightly at the attention and started to join her companions. Yashiro's mouth slammed shut when the woman stumbled and grabbed the bed so she did not hit the floor. He rushed to her sided where he was waved back by the strong willed woman with a shake of the head. Yashiro stepped back as Catherine levered herself up again and gingerly walked forwards to join Kyoko and Ren standing in the walkway. Ren let Kyoko and Catherine lead the way to reception, while he and Yashiro took up the rear. After a few bits of paperwork the group headed to the doors where they meet with a big surprise.

Kyoko and Catherine triggered the automatic doors to the blinding flash of cameras. The accident that shut down the Shuto Expressway had been big news. It turned into even bigger news when the circling news helicopters recognized Tsuruga Ren standing on the roadway and it had not taken the press long to identify the young woman pulled from the car as Kyoko. It had, however, taken the paparazzi a while to get close to the accident, at which time, Ren and Kyoko had already left for the hospital. A few calls and some well-greased palms found where the injured persons were taken, and the photographers descended on the sight like locusts. Only a few reporters made it to the hospital before the stars did, but Ren and Kyoko's appearance had just confirmed the information that was leaking out.

The press clambered for the attention of the four people leaving the emergency room.

"Tell us what happened."

"Was Kyoko injured?"

"Who caused the accident?"

"Are the rumors true that Tsuruga-san and Kyoko-san are dating?"

"Who is this Yashiro Catherine that was pulled from the car?" Catherine almost laughed at this question. Instead the woman raised both of her hands to calm the excited reporters. There was no way they were going to get to the car without some kind of statement, and Catherine decided to take it on herself to solve the problem.

"Good evening." She began. Ren was worried about what the woman would say, her behavior since the wreck had been slightly off. "I am happy to inform you that everyone involved in today's calamity is doing well. As to the cause of the accident, I do not have that information at this time. I have heard that the driver of the truck is in stable condition, and as you can see, Kyoko-san and I have been treated and released. As to the other questions, I am unaware of any relationship beyond that of senpai and kohai between Tsuruga-san and Kyoko-san." This statement caused a little stabbing pain in both actors' hearts. "And you have been sadly misinformed on the name of the woman pulled from the car. I am Catherine Saunders, Kyoko-san's manager, not Yashiro Catherine." Yashiro let out an almost unperceivable wistful sigh at these words. "Any further questions should be addressed to LME. Thank you and have a nice day." Having answered all the questioned posed to her, Catherine took Kyoko's arm and led her through the press to the silver sports car. Ren opened the doors and the group got in and drove away to the flashing of cameras.

"That was a nice job back there." Ren complemented the quick witted manager. Catherine looked at the actor through the rear view mirror.

"How did you know about the condition of the truck driver?" Yashiro asked, he had no idea where the woman had gotten the information. He had asked, but no one would tell him anything.

"That was easy." Catherine turned her attention to the man next to her. "I talked with the nurse that took me to x-ray. When I told her that I was in that accident and was worried about the man, she was more than happy to let me know that he was doing well." Yashiro was impressed that she had been able to get the information about the truck driver.

"It's impressive that you made up that entire statement on the fly. Very professional." Kyoko complemented her.

"Oh no. I had that one all worked out before we left." Catherine admitted. "To be honest, I had answers to all the possible questions figured out, so I just had to put them together."

"…"Kyoko looked dumfounded at her manager.

"I figured an accident that disrupted would be noticed and filmed for the news. SOMEONE was bound to recognize Tsuruga-san on the side of the road, and you are pretty well-known too. So of course there is going to be a big to do about it in the news which only leads to the paparazzi getting involved. The question really was not IF they hit, but WHEN. What I did not expect was for them to descend that fast. Now I am glad I walked out on my own instead of having someone help me out." Catherine smiled softly at the man sitting next to her. Yashiro nodded his understanding that her insistence on walking on her own had been posturing and not stubbornness. Silence fell in the car as the friends thought about her words.

"Tell me," Yashiro broke the pensive silence. "When do you come up with this?"

"You come up with a lot of things to think about when you are waiting for someone to tell you if your legs are broken or not." A bitter sweet smile crept across Catherine's face before she turned her attention out the window. They rode in silence for a little while longer.

"Um… Where are we going?" Ren broke into his passenger's thoughts. "Do we still need to go to the location shoot, or is it too late?" The man had been driving that way just in case, but was unsure if he needed to be. Yashiro searched his pockets for his phone, having forgotten it was not there. Remembering where it was, he turned to Ren.

"Can I have my phone back now?" The actor chuckled and pulled the missing device out of his pocket and passed it back so Yashiro could call the director. Due to the severity of the accident, several of the crew members had heard about it and had set up a television to watch the breaking news, so the director knew what was going on and let them go home for the afternoon. He would call both Catherine and Yashiro tomorrow with revised schedules. He wished the two ladies the best before hanging up.

"I guess we head over to LME to talk to Lory." Yashiro informed the driver who proceeded to correct his course. The car let out a collective sigh at the thought of being in the president's office again. Catherine felt like apologizing for the ruined shoot, even though she knew it was not her fault. Kyoko informed them all that they needed to stop for food before they went to talk with the boss.

"Well what would you like to eat?" Ren asked the car in general. Catherine spoke for all of them in her answer.

"Anything but shrimp."


	46. Chapter 47

Here is your daily update. I hope your enjoy it.

**Note: I don't own Skip Beat!**

It was already five thirty and Kyoko insisted on a decent dinner for everyone, seeing as they had missed lunch. Since they had caused such a stir on the news, Ren decided that it would be unsafe to stop at a restaurant to eat, so he had Yashiro order sushi for five from a shop near LME. He then called Lory to let them know they were coming to see him. Kyoko and Catherine led the way into the president's office with Yashiro and Ren following with the two platters of food. It was a good thing that Kyoko's hands were empty when a blonde streak shot out and knocked the woman down.

"NEE-CHAN!" The high pitched squeal of the little girl was almost deafening as she clung to her favorite female. "I was so sacred that you were hurt." Kyoko held the girl lying on top of her and patted her back to stop her crying.

"I am alright." She sat up cradling the child in her lap and soothed her hair down. "See, I am not hurt." Maria sat up and looked at Kyoko's face before wiping away a tear and nodding. The young girl took her pseudo-sister by the hand and led her to the seating area, where she placed the actress on the velvet covered couch and sat down as close to her as she could. Maria did not want to let go of her.

Having been keyed up by all the unexpected things that had happened today, the rest of the party had frozen when the blonde rocket attacked Kyoko. Now that they had all identified the curly haired projectile, they all sighed in relief and continued to where Maria had taken Kyoko. Ren placed his platter down on the coffee table and sat on the couch next to Maria. He gathered the little girl up in his arms and gave her a tight squeeze that she returned.

"Let Kyoko have some space, she has had a hard day." Ren whispered to the little girl. Maria nodded her understanding and let Ren place her back on the couch just a tiny bit farther away from Kyoko then she was. Catherine smiled at the touching scene as she gently sat on the couch opposite the actors and the child. Maria caught the soft look that Catherine had given Ren and glared at her. She had mistaken the look for something it was not and was about to say something rude to the woman when Yashiro sat his plate down and offered to get drinks for everyone. Maria turned her attention back to Catherine when Yashiro left for refreshments. She had already planed the perfect way to teach this foreign woman to stay away from her Ren when her grandfather stepped in.

"Saunders-san, I would like you to meet my granddaughter Maria." Lory waved to the little girl as he fanned out his velvet vampire cape and settled into one of the plush armchairs. Maria paused and looked at the woman. "Maria-chan, this is Kyoko-chan's new manager Catherine Saunders." Maria had heard that Kyoko had gotten a new manager, but she had not realized that this was her. Catherine smiled at the little girl and leaned forwards in a slight bow.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Maria-chan." A light grimace crossed Catherine's face and a pain fill noise slipped from her as the abused muscles in her back protested the movement. She sat back up and slid back so she could lean against the back of the couch. She apologizes for her poor posture before continuing. "I have heard a lot of good things from Kyoko-chan about you." Maria looked to her nee-chan.

"Kat-chan has been taking care of me." Kyoko explained to her. She was not sure if Lory had told Maria about all the problems that she had had, but she did not want to worry the girl any more. Maria hopped up from her chair and bowed to the woman.

"Thank you for looking after my nee-chan." Maria stood up and reclaimed her seat as Yashiro came back with an armload of drinks for everyone.

"The pleasure is mine." Catherine answered the girl as the male manager took the seat next to her. Maria saw the way Yashiro considered the woman's position before passing out the drinks.

The group settled in to eat the sushi before they discuss the events of the day. Lory smiled as he watched Yashiro arranged a selection of bits on one of the lids and handed it Catherine so she could rest her back some more. Maria noticed the way his hands lingered at hers when Catherine took the tray and chopsticks from him. Seeing the possibilities there, the young girl quickly reconsidered her plans for the woman, after all, she was Lory's granddaughter. Kyoko had to stifle a giggle watching Lory try to eat the bits of rice and fish with the large vampire fangs in. He had spent the day sipping on tomato juice pretending it was blood, so this was the only real food he had tried to eat. Sighing in defeat, he popped out the fangs so that he could enjoy the treat without it falling from his mouth when he chewed.

Lory finished his last bite of food and leaned back in his chair before considering the group in front of him. He had thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Maria's offer to help when Kyoko threatened to force-feed Ren if he did not eat more of the food had made him smile. And he loved the way Yashiro kept slipping more pieces of the sushi on Catherine's makeshift plate while she was distracted by the actors' antics. But it was the questioning looks that Catherine shot at Yashiro when she discovered the additions to her plate, and his feigned innocents that almost made Lory burst out laughing. Now that the meal was done, it was time to turn their attention to more unpleasant things.

"That was nice, Thank you." Lory addressed the group. "Now, I have seen the breaking news reports, but I would like to hear from you." Maria scrunched up closer to her nee-chan and Kyoko placed her arm around the little girl for comfort. Lory knew there was no way he was going to be able to separate the two girls so he went on. "Can you tell me what happened?" Catherine proceeded to explain what happened from her point of view up until she saw the truck coming into her lane. She tried to make is as matter-of-fact as possible so she would not scare the smallest of their company. Ren picked up at that point and explained, in the same fashion, what he saw. Maria still gasped and clutched at Kyoko when Ren told how the truck hit the outside wall and tipped over onto the car. Ren was having a hard time keeping the emotion out of his voice, so Yashiro picked up the story. Catherine laughed when Yashiro explained how Ren had tried to call the girls and she told Lory about Ren's repeated phone calls to Kyoko's unreachable phone before apologizing for her interruptions and letting Yashiro continue to the point where they had emptied the truck out and were about to lift it off of the girls. Lory raised his hand to let them know that they don't need to continue.

"We watched live as they removed the truck and pulled Kyoko out of the car." Lory explained. "That was quite a touching scene there Ren." Both Ren and Kyoko blushed as they remembered what happened. He was saved from having to comment when Lory turned his attention to Catherine. "And I saw your statement when you came out of the hospital." Catherine held her head up ready to defend her decision if needed. "It was nicely handled, given the speed at which you had to come up with it. LME will release an official statement along the same lines." Catherine relaxed at Lory's approval. The man turned his attention back to the group in general. "I should expect that we will see an increase in paparazzi for the next few days, so please be mindful of what you say and do." Lory turned once more to Catherine. "I will arrange transportation for you until we can get your car replaced." Lory turned his attention to Ren. "I have received a message from the photographer for tonight's photo shoot, if you do not feel up to it, he has offered to reschedule." Kyoko blanched at the thought of making Ren miss work, and she was ready to answer for him when Ren nodded his head.

"There is no problem, I can do it." Ren answered and Lory nodded once.

"Good man, I figured that would be your answer." Lory paused in thought before continuing. "Should I arrange transportation for the girls for tonight?" Lory looked to the only driver with a car in the room.

"I will be happy to take care of them." The look Ren gave to Kyoko made her blush and Yashiro squee. Truthfully, he really did not want to let her out of his sight just yet. Lory clapped his hands together loudly and stood with a flourish of his cape.

"Fantastic! Then you needed to get moving before you're late." Lory looked at his wrist where a watch should have been to emphasize the need to watch their time. The group removed themselves from the velvet covered chairs and prepared to leave. As Kyoko was saying goodbye to Maria, Lory waved Catherine over to talk with him.

"Could this accident have had anything to do with what we discussed earlier?" Lory tried to keep his voice low as to not show his concern to the others.

"I don't see how. I did not see the car that hit the truck, and unless they had help, there was no way for them to know that we were on the other side of the truck." Concern crossed Catherine's face as she thought about the car in front of her that had been acting weird. She shook the thought away. She did not want to think about the implications of another car's involvement meant. "No, there is no possible way." Catherine stated it again to reassure both herself and the man in front of her.

"Ok, but be careful." Catherine turned at his warning to go back to her charge. "Oh, and by the way," She paused and looked back to her boss. "You look very nice in your yukata." She bowed in acknowledgement and followed her friends from the office.


	47. Chapter 48

Here is the next chapter/bite. I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I don't own Skip Beat!.**

Ren slipped into his darkness of his empty apartment and dropped his shoes at the door without turning on the light. He has just spent the last two hours trying to focuses on looking good for the photographer, and failing. Jereth was usually an easy man to work for, but Ren could just not get into the job today. Unlike acting, modeling took less active thought and his mind kept slipping back to the accident and the girl he almost lost today. Jereth reprimanded him for the fifteenth time before deciding to alter the mood of his photographs to better match the darker mood of his model. Once this was done, the shoot went better, but it was the words that the photographer said to him after he was done that stuck with him. Ren found his way to the cabinet containing his alcohol collection and poured himself a highball glass of scotch and downed it in one go. He refilled his glass and took the bottle to sit in the living room in the dark. He rolled the conversation around in his mind.

"Go on home and get some rest. It is obvious that you are still shaken up by the accident this afternoon." Jereth pulled his camera from around his neck and started packing it away. "I am glad to hear that your girlfriend is ok. I don't think I would be able to work right after something like that." Ren stopped and looked that the photographer.

"Mogami-san is not my girlfriend." Jereth paused in his work to look at him model in disbelief.

"Whatever you say." The man shrugged and went back to packing his kit. "But I can tell you that if her wellbeing bothers you this much when you're not together, maybe you should change that. It would be devastating if someone else asked her out instead." Jereth was too busy trying to cram the stubborn lenses into their padded holes to notice that Ren had gone very still at his words. It was only when Yashiro cleared his throat that Ren remembered how to breathe again. The two friends said their farewells to the photographer and left. Ren expected Yashiro to tease him about what the man had said, but to his surprise the bespectacled man did not even poke fun at him. He only left him with one line as Ren dropped him off.

"Maybe you should think about it, I know I will." Ren knew what Yashiro meant as he watched in stunned silence as his manager he enter his building shaking his wrist.

Ren looked back into his glass of scotch and swirled the golden liquid around studying it for a moment before downing the second glass. He thought about a third glass, but stopped with his hand on the bottle when the image of Kyoko reprimanding him for drowned his mind in drink brought a smile to his face. This was too much for his battered heart to take and he broke down and cried out all of the emotions he had bottled up from the long day.

The next morning, Ren awoke to the sound of knocking as Yashiro announced his presence before letting himself into Ren's apartment. Yashiro stopped at the opening to the living room and stared at the tall actor lying on the floor in front of the couch where he had fallen asleep last night. Having been caught, Ren just laid there staring up at his manager as Yashiro walked over and picked up the glass forgotten on the floor. He returned it and the scotch back to the cabinet before heading into the kitchen without saying a thing to the actor. Ren sighed before he rolled over and pushed himself up so he could go get ready for his day. The long night of crying had eased the weight on his heart, but it had left him with a massive headache like no alcohol could. He had finally levered himself into a sitting position when Yashiro came back out of the kitchen with a glass of water. He held his hands out for the actor to take what was concealed inside. When Ren opened his hands, Yashiro placed the water and four tablets in his palm, two round white ones and two oval pink ones. Ren looked at the odd pills and back at his friend.

"Aspirin and B12." Yashiro explained. "If you feel half as bad as you look, you're going to need them." Ren chuckled lightly and chased the pills down with water before handing the glass back to his waiting manager. Yashiro returned to the kitchen while Ren went to revive himself with a quick shower and clean clothing. Dressed for the day, he came out to find his manager drying his hands on the towel in his kitchen. The bespectacled man handed Ren a paper napkin with something warm inside and a travel cup of coffee.

"What's this?" Ren asked as he peeked into the package to find a fried egg sandwich.

"We have a long day today, and Kyoko would kill me if I let you start it without food." Yashiro explained as he gathered his things to leave. "Anyway, you probably need the protein." Ren blushed as he took a bite of the sandwich. The warm egg and gooey cheese melted across his tongue and he stopped to look at the man that had managed to make something edible out of the stuff in his kitchen. A twinge of jealousy slid across him as he realized that he was the only one from their group that could not cook. He let that thought go as he quickly finished his sandwich and followed Yashiro out to the car. To Ren's surprise, his manager did something that he never witnessed before. The man pulled off his normal glasses and slid into a pair of dark per-scripting sunglasses with deep metallic green frames. Ren stopped and stared at the unusual occurrence. He had seen these glasses when they went to the beach for photo shoots, but it was nowhere near as bright here. Waiting to be let into the car, Yashiro turned back to the frozen man.

"What?" A note of irritation could be heard in his voice as he addressed the actor. "Don't think you're the only one that has ever had an encounter with a bottle after a tough day." An epiphany struck Ren as he unlocked the car and the two friends settled into the car for the trip to work. He now knew why Yashiro had not teases or ever said anything about the stated he was in this morning. It also explained why the man had aspirin and B12 on him. He had to suppress a snicker when he tried to envision his manager drinking himself into a stupor.


	48. Chapter 49

I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. I have a lot of fun with this chapter, I hope you like it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Catherine and Kyoko headed straight into LME this morning to get ready for the commercial the actress had agreed to be in. There were a few paparazzi waiting, but no one jostled or pushed to get close to the actress, which Catherine was thankful for. It was the greeting they got in the LoveMe locker room that surprised both of the women. As soon as Kyoko opened the door, a dark hair pink streak hit her.

"Thank God you're alright." Kanae crushed her friend in a bone grinding hug before pushing her away to arm's length. "Don't you ever do that again!" The teen shook her friend to emphasize each word. Kanae released Kyoko and turned away from her with crossed arms. "You didn't even call me to let me know you were ok! I found out what happened when I came in today to this." Kanae threw both of her hands out to bring the younger actress' attention to the enormous pile of flowers and gifts stacked against the far wall of the room. Dumfounded, Kyoko walked slowly over to the stack and picked up a cute teddy bear from the pile and read the card.

"To Kyoko-sama, We are glad to see that you made it through that horrible accident and hope your manager is doing well. Please keep up the good work. We love you. The Kudos." Kyoko looked up from the card in disbelief. She checked a few more of the arrangements and gift and found they were the same. The outpour of love and good wishes overwhelmed the young actress so much she sat down on the floor cuddling the teddy bear and tried to make sense of it. Her grudges had all been reduced to babbling messes as they rolled around being comforted by her angles. She just could not understand how anyone could love the characters that she had been playing. There were all either bullies of bad guys. Catherine walked over and plucked up a rose from the stack and looked at the card with her name on it. She smiled softly as she read through the good feeling held in the card.

"It's days like this that make me glad I do the things I do." Catherine wiped a tear away and placed a hand on her charge's shoulder. "Take as long as you need, we have some of time." The woman turned to the door. "I will go check on arrangements for the rest." Kyoko was pulled from her thought and looked up to her retreating manager in shock.

"There's more?" Kyoko's grudges could not take it and curled into one big pile shivering.

"I am sure there is." Catherine smiled at her. "And if this is any indication, I am sure there will be a LOT of mail to go through in the next few days." Catherine left the frozen actress in Kanae's care as she went to find Sawara to make arrangement for the fan mail.

Kanae looked down at the pile of ooze that had been her friend just a moment ago. She bent down and tried to scrap the girl back into a solid mass and failed. It was just too much for Kyoko's love-resistant heart to accept at this time. The frustrated actress stood up and stomped her foot.

"It you don't stop ignoring me right this second, I will never talk to you again." Kanae crossed her arms and turned her back to her friend. This brought Kyoko out of her state as the girl levitate off the ground to her feet. An earsplitting no issued from the girl as she dropped to the floor in her normal apology position. After a long line of apologies and promises to never do it again, Kanae helped her friend up and forgave her. Kyoko was deep into an elaborate retelling of the previous days activated when Catherine returned from her mission. Not wishing to disturb the girls having such a good time, she went to find something to drink. As she walked through the halls, she heard two familiar voices echoing around the corner.

"I just need to stop in the office and pick up the script. I can't believe I forgot it yesterday." Yashiro reprimanded himself. Ren chuckled.

"I can." Ren smile as they rounded the corner and came face to face with Catherine. Yashiro's eyes lit up at her appearance, and Ren looked around to see where her usual companion was. Seeing his search, Catherine informed him that she was in the locker room. Knowing that it would do his charge good Yashiro looked back at the taller man.

"Why don't you go say hi, and I will go get the needed papers." Ren agreed whole-heartedly and slipped around the two to go find the girl of his dreams. Yashiro turned his attention back to the woman in front of him. "So how are you feeling today?"

"Better." Catherine admitted. "I took a long epsom salt bath last night that did wonders for my aches." She gestured towards his office and the pair continued on the path to retrieve the forgotten document. "How are you this morning?" She could see the light circles under his eyes from the hard night he had.

"To tell the truth, I did not sleep well last night." He admitted. "Everything just kept playing over and over again in my head." Catherine could tell that he had truly been bothered by the incident. She stepped closer to him and gave him a tight one-armed squeeze across his shoulders.

"Everything's alright now. We didn't get hurt, so stop worrying." The unexpected gesture from the girl ripped away what was left of Yashiro's self-control and Catherine found herself spun about and crushed to the man's chest. His embrace was gentle, yet unyielding as he buried his face in the hair on her shoulder and breathed in the soft sent of her rose and jasmine perfume. Given no other choice, Catherine wrapped her arms around the man and rested her head on his shoulder until he was able to recollect himself. After a few moments and some 'ahh's from passing people, Yashiro straightened up and pulled back just enough to look at the woman still trapped in his arms.

"Will you have dinner with me?" Catherine blushed lightly and hid in her hair for a moment before nodding.

"I would like that," She admitted before turning her eyes back to the man wrapped around her. "But I can't leave Kyoko unattended." Yashiro pulled her back against him and placed his chin on top of her head. Yashiro's eyes shifted around as he thought he heard a disturbing noise, but not seeing anything, he went back to the matter at hand.

"I will make sure she had company for that night." Yashiro grinned as he thought of the perfect man for the job. He held her for a moment longer before releasing the girl. If he did not get her out of his arms, he was going to act on his more basic instincts and they would never get on with the day. The two continued on to Yashiro's office in a comfortable silence. The man's eyes were attracted to the red rose Catherine twirled in her fingers. "Where did you get that?" Yashiro nodded to her toy.

"Oh this?" Catherine lifted the flower to her nose and sniffed it. "It was among the things delivered to Kyoko this morning." Catherine smiled as she remembered the girl's reaction. Yashiro raised an eyebrow at this.

They had finally arrived at the office they needed and Yashiro quickly retrieved the script for Ren. He locked the door and turned back to his companion. He was utterly shock as she watched the girl crack the head off the rose and stick the stem in her pocket. Before he could say anything about the vandalism, she produced a safety pin from inside her coat and closed the gap between them. She slipped the shorten stem into the button hole on his lapel and affixed it with the pin to the back side. Now that the flower was secure, she smoothed down the folds of his coat before stepping back to admire her work. Catherine smiled at the stunned man and turned to lead the way back to where their charges were. It only took a moment for Yashiro to recover and catch up to the woman twirling the now empty stem in her hand. Her every move was making him love her even more.

Autors note: You have asked for it and Yashiro is the first to man up and ask the girl out. Now all we have to do is get the other big lug to get over Kyoko's issues and ask her out... LOL


	49. Chapter 50

I'm having way too much fun to wait till this evening to post this, so you get another quick up date. I really hope your enjoy it. Let me know.

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Ren arrived at the door to the LoveMe locker room and was just about to knock on the door when a string of giggles issued from the room. With his curiosity getting the better of him, Ren leaned on the door and opened it just a crack so he could see in. The two occupants of the room were seated on the floor in front of the pile of flowers and packages reading the cards to each other. Not wanting to be rude, he knocked before pushing the door the rest of the way open. The two girls looked up at him as he entered.

"Please forgive my intrusion." He offered his apology to the girls before stepping into the room and shutting the door. Kyoko blushed hard as Kanae nudged her with her elbow and stood up. The long haired girl gave the tall actor an odd look before excusing herself from the room saying she had work to get to. Ren watched her go before turning back to the girl by the pile of presents. His eyes skimmed across the many bouquets of flowers before coming to rest on the girl on the floor. Kyoko had turned a dark shade of crimson and was crushing a card in her hands. "I see you have a few admirers." Ren couldn't keep all of the jealousy out of his voice as he looked at all of the presents that had been sent to the woman he loved. Kyoko's grudges stirred to life a little at the hint of anger protruding from him.

"I am sorry." Kyoko apologized for whatever she had done wrong. "These were sent to me and Catherine in response to the accident yesterday." Seeing the response the girl had to his showing emotions, he sighed and went to kneel by the girl.

"It's ok, you have nothing to apologies for." Ren tried to sooth the girl. Kyoko looked at him warily. "Really, I not mad." Not truly believing him, but unable to come up with a reason for him to be angry, she accepted his statement before she did make him mad. They had been down this route before. Glad she did not make him pull out the senpai card, Ren turned his attention to the flowers and cards behind her. "May I?" He pointed at one of the card stuck in a bouquet. Kyoko crushed the card in her hand again and nodded her approval. Ren plucked the card up and read the contents of it aloud to her.

"Dear Kyoko," The actress's heart twinged at the sound of her given name coming from her beloved senpai's mouth. "It makes me happy to hear that you are safe. I greatly enjoy the characters that you portray. You have amazing acting skill, and I hope to see you in many more outstanding roles. I love you with all my heart. Your faithful fan, Renji." Ren folded the card back as Kyoko blushed harder. Not only had a complete stranger written something so personal, it was read by the man that held a special place in her heart. Ren's heart hurt with the desire to roll the cute girl up and say those exact words to her. He hadn't built up quite enough courage when he was interrupted from his thoughts by her question.

"How can someone I don't know say that?" Ren could make out the confusion on her face. He flipped the card open again and looked at the words that hit all too close to home.

"What part?" Ren asked.

"The 'I l-l-lo-ve you with all my heart.'" Ren was prevented from answering by the squee that issued from the doorway. Yashiro and Catherine had picked that exact moment to open the door to the locker room. Ren shook his head at his overreacting manager and proceeded to answer Kyoko's question as the excited man started to make plans for a press conference. Catherine elbowed the man before he could work himself into any more of a frenzy.

"That is what our job means." He tried to explain to the confused girl. "As entertainers, out entire existence is to make the general population enjoy what we do." Yashiro's fan-girl mode dropped away when he realized that he had misunderstood the situation. Ren continued. "If our fans don't love us, then we have no place in this industry." Ren looked at the neat handwriting. "Even if the characters we portray are mean or evil, it could be disastrous if not done properly. No matter how well the protagonist's acting is, a badly played antagonist can break even the best written script. That is why everyone loves a good villain." Kyoko stared at her senpai with wide eyes as she took in his words. She had seen how wonderful he had been as BJ, so she knew the truth in his words. Until that moment, she did not realize how important the roles she had taken were. Kyoko sat staring into Ren's brown eyes as she processed what he said to her. She was completely unaware how open and innocent she was at that moment and it was all Ren could do not too grab up the completely defenseless girl. It was only when Catherine cleared her throat that Kyoko broke from the trance that had fallen over her. Both actors turned to look at the source of the sound. Catherine could see the disappointment Ren was trying to hide.

"Kyoko-chan, we need to get going or we will be late." This got the girl moving. The actress let out a cute squeak that almost undid the man next to her. He prayed that she was not this open and vulnerable around other men. Kyoko thanked her senpai for the lesson and promised to think about it later. His heart cried out when the teen stood up from the floor and got ready to be on with her day. Ren slipped the card back into the bouquet and followed the young girl's lead. Kyoko bowed her farewell to the men and lead the way out of the room. Catherine shook her head at the chance Ren had not taken and waved goodbye to the actor, but it was the shy smile that she shot at Yashiro that caused the actor to raise his eyebrows. Ren came over and followed his manager's eyes to the door where the two women had just disappeared before coming back to take in the long-full look on the bespectacled man's face. He had to take a second look when he caught a hint of red against the man's light colored jacket.

"Where did you get the rose?" The actor turned to look at the pile of flowers on the other side of the room. He was sure that his manager had not gotten close enough to steal one. The same look that Ren held for Kyoko crossed Yashiro's face before the man bent his head down enough to smell the flower. He came back with an amused smile and peeked over his glasses at his charge.

"You need to ask Kyoko out on that date." Ren stood in shock as his manager made his way out of the locker room and on to their waiting day.

Lory sat in front of his bank of monitor and flipped between cameras to select the best images for the compilation that he was working on. He was glad that he had spent the extra money to have the high quality microphones installed throughout the building. He had started monitoring the security system when the first of the gifts and flowers had started arriving by special courier. He really wanted to see how his favorite LoveMe member would take the outpouring of caring and support from her fans. He was almost crushed when the girl had collapse under the weight of love. He had been tempted to turn his monitors off at that moment, but he watched hoping that things would change.

His hope was renewed when Catherine ran into the men in the hallway. He was so busy watching the tall actor transvers the hallways that he missed the small affections between the two managers. He was listening to the conversation in the LoveMe locker room waiting for Ren to burst in on the embarrassing topic when quick movement from another monitor caught his eyes. Sebastian stuck his head into the room to see what had caused Lory to let out the earsplitting squee. The president was bouncing in his chair as he watched Yashiro holding Kyoko's manager. He let out another squeal when Yashiro held the girl out and asked her to dinner.

"KISS HER! KISS HER!" Lory screamed at the screen when Catherine agreed and gave him her ultimatum. "NOOOO!" He cried when the man pulled her against him and put his head on top of hers. He watched as the two separated and walked normally to Yashiro's office. He started throwing things at the screen as the two passed up more opportunities to be romantic. Why couldn't he put his arm around her as they walked, or even hold her hand? He was fuming at the manager by the time Yashiro locked his office door. He decided that he was going to have to sit the boy down and explain to him how to romance a girl. What he saw next blew away all of his anger and frustration. The gift of the rose showed that the pair was not beyond hope. At least one of them knew how to be romantic.

Having been engrossed by the love blossoming between the managers, Lory had completely forgotten about Ren and Kyoko. It was the squee that Yashiro let out when he entered the LoveMe locker room that alerted Lory that he had missed something between the actors. The president spent the rest of the day rewinding and editing the security footage so that he had both romantic acts fully documented for his own pleasure.

Authors note: You didn't think it would be easy to get Ren to ask the girl out, did you? I so cannot wait for their date, and I am writing this thing….. *sighs* I guess I should get back to it then.


	50. Chapter 51

I am really glad to see that everyone that has stuck with me till not is enjoying this story. Thanks for your support.

**Note: I do not won Skip Beat!.**

Catherine fiddled with the mirrors and seat in the replacement car Lory had given her. He had tease Catherine into promising not to wreak this one before she snatched the keys away from the joking man. Catherine hummed lightly as she pulled out of the parking lot and into the streets of Tokyo. Kyoko sat in the passenger's seat pensively. She kept turning over the words that her respected senpai had said to her. Kyoko looked at the crumpled card she still had clutched in her hand. It took her a moment to smooth out the crimped paper enough for her to read the flowing handwriting held within. Kyoko read over the show of caring and support from the stranger. But it was the end of the card that had made Kanae tease her. Catherine glanced at her silent charge as she ran her finger over one word from the card.

"Is something bothering you?" Catherine stopped humming to address the confused actress. Kyoko closed the card quickly before the older woman could see the words inside.

"NO" Kyoko quickly answered and paused to think about it. "Yes." She admitted.

"Would you like to tell me about it?" Catherine offered. "I promise not to say anything to anyone." Kyoko considered her for a minute before opening the card back up and looking at the words inside again. She waffled on the decision before taking a deep breath.

"How could anyone think that I would make a good girlfriend for Tsuruga-san?" Kyoko cried out her indignation at the suggestion. This shocked Catherine to the point where she almost hit the curb. Once she recovered, Catherine snickered lightly. Kyoko glared at the mirth.

"Sorry." Catherine apologized. "I was just not expecting that." Catherine signaled to merge into traffic. "Where did this come from?"

"This card." Kyoko held up the crumpled paper. "They said they did not believe your statement that Tsuruga-san and I were not dating, and that they wished us the best." Kyoko ran her finger over the word that had given her such problems. "Kat-chan, they called me his GIRLFRIEND!"

"What's wrong with that?" Catherine shrugged.

"…" Kyoko looked dumfounded at her manager, as if the answer were as clear as day. "I can't be Tsuruga-san's girlfriend!"

"And why not?" Catherine grew slightly cross at the girl's answer.

"Tsuruga-san already has someone he likes!" Kyoko recalled the description the man had given. "She is fun-loving, dedicated, with a good heart, a little complicated, and makes him smile." Catherine shook her head.

"Doesn't that describe you?" Catherine pointed out. Kyoko froze at the idea, so Catherine continued. "You enjoy having a good time. You are always doing wonderful things for others. I have not seen a more dedicated person. You can be quite complicated to understand sometimes. And to be honest, I have never seen that man more happy then when he is with you." Kyoko's brain screamed its protests as her demons ran around in circles. This was very close to what Kanae had told her in the locker room. She had been able to giggle at the possibilities then because she believed her best friend was teasing her about the card. Yes, Catherine was her friend, but there was no note of teasing in her voice. The woman was serious.

"But that is impossible." Kyoko refused to accept the woman's reasoning. "Tsuruga-san's girlfriend has to be special and beautiful and.. and.. And I am just so plan and ordinary." Kyoko was shocked when Catherine slammed on the breaks in the middle of the road and turned to the teen.

"I DO NOT WANT TO EVER HEAR YOU SAY THAT AGAIN!" The anger that rolled off Catherine made Kyoko's grudges swim around in delight as the girl cringe away from her manager. "Whoever told you that was a dam liar and a fool!" Catherine calmed herself and started moving the car again. "Kyoko, you are one of the prettiest most interesting people I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know." Catherine saw that Kyoko did not believe her. "I will admit that you're not as hot as a tall busty fashion model." Kyoko nodded her agreement. "And I am sure that you could name a lot of people that surpass you in physical attractiveness." Kyoko thought of her best friend and how beautiful she is. "But Ren sees hundreds of those types of people every year. If he was easily swayed by physical beauty, there would be just as many scandals around the man as there are beautiful women." Kyoko thought about this for a moment as Catherine switched gears. "When was the last time you hear rumors about Ren's love life?" Kyoko blushed at this question, but thought hard.

"I never have." She admitted.

"Exactly! A man that deals with women like that every day and does not get involved with them is probably looking for something more. Beauty is not just skin deep. If the most beautiful woman in the world had a bad personality, how long do you think she would keep friends?" Kyoko shook her head indicating she would not have them, so Catherine continued schooling the girl. "See, it's not the package that men like Ren are looking for, it's what is inside. If you are not special inside, then no amount of varnish is going to draw their attention."

"But I am not special inside." Kyoko tried again. Catherine sighed what could only be called an NG sigh.

"It does not matter if you think you are special. All that matters is what he thinks." Catherine explained as they pulled into the parking lot of the hotel they were going to be filming in. Kyoko looked at her confused.

"But how do I know if he thinks I am special?" Catherine looked at the girl. If she had missed all of the subtle hints he had given, plus the obvious gestures, then there was only one answer that would work for her love blind charge.

"You ask him."

Kyoko laid on her futon staring up at the dried rose on her shelf. She turned the day's events over in her head for about the millionth time. The hotel shoot had been straight forward and not taken too long till the director was happy and released the actress. The two girls had spent the rest of the day sorting through all of the gifts and flowers that were piling up in the LoveMe locker room. When the pair had gotten back, the stack was twice the size it was before and kept growing. They had found an empty conference center to separate out Kyoko's massive stack from Catherine's surprising large assortments. The teen has received everything from simple card and flowers to stuffed animals and candies. She even received a cake from one of Tokyo's finest bakeries. Catherine drew up a thank you letter for Kyoko to sign and send to the addresses they were able to get off the packaged. It was a simple form letter, but it would show her fans that she appreciated their support. The two girls had agreed that Kyoko should not bother the restaurant with the overwhelming supply of gifts, so they had most of them sent to Catherine's apartment. Kyoko only took a few of the smaller things home with her. Tomorrow was a free day for her and she was going to spend it looking through everything.

Kyoko sighed and rolled over to bury her face in her pillow. The words of both her respected senpai and her manager rolled around in her head. It had been easy to accept Ren's words regarding the support her fans were showing her. This was the same thing that Sawara had told her about when she was first rejected by LME. She was still not sure if she could 'Love her audience' the way Lory wanted her too, but she starting to understand their love for her. It was Catherine's words that were really giving her trouble. She had been able to push them away while she was acting in the commercial, and there had been plenty to occupy her mind when they were sorting through the gifts, but now, there was nothing to stop those words from disturbing her heart.

Kyoko rolled back over and stared at the poster of the man she was considering. How could anyone possibly think that he loved her? Yes, it is true that he had been worried enough to call her while they were trapped and talk to her the entire time. And he had been there to catch her when she almost fell, but anyone would have done that. It was the kiss on the temple that she was having the hardest time with. Up until that one, she had been able to explain away every other kiss as either teasing or a misunderstanding, but this one was different. This one held emotions made raw by the situation, and at the time she convinced herself that is was just the stress, it was the only thing that let her get pass it, but now, after Catherine's words, she did not know. She ran her mind over all of the other kind things he had done for her. It was the soft looks she had not taken note of at the time that she remembered now. Even the occasional appearance of 'the Emperor of the Night' had been in response to something she had done.

As she laid on her back staring into space, she slowly warmed to the idea that Ren like her. He had been the only person to give her exactly what she needed, whether it was kindness or scolding. He always seemed to know which one she needed and how much was good for her. He never dulled his blades when she felt she needed a good slicing up, and he never turned her away when she needed his help. The more she thought about it, the more she could see his true emotions showing in everything. She reprimanded herself for her audacity, how could she presume that what she perceived was really affection and not her own misguided ideas spurred on by Catherine's words. She sighed and rolled over in her bed again. It was going to come down to Catherine's suggestion; she was just going to have to ask him. But she did not know if she would be able to do it. What if everything was just her imagination? How would she get on with her life if he told her the same thing Sho had? The answer she came up with was that she could not. She steeled her heart and set her mind in determination, she would not ask him, she would wait for him to come to her. If he really did like her, there had to be a reason he had not confessed his feelings to her yet. She had spent a long time living nursing an unrequited love and decided it would be much less painful to do so again then risk losing the man that had found his way into her heart, again.

**Authors note**: For those of you who want to know where I get these crazy ideas, I either dream them up (literaly while sleeping, in fact, this entire thing started with a dream about the brick incident and grew from there), find them on line (the truck wreak came from youtube, mostly), or run into them in real life (so got the shrimp thing from a truck wreak in Cincinnati Ohio a few years back). Otherwise, I sit down to write and see where I am led within the confines of the main plotline. I keep a complete finished plotline made out so that I can wander a little and still hit the important events to get the story to the end that I want. A few of the upcomeing chapters were writen while taking pain killers for a strained muscel. Those turned out intresting and I will get them up as soon as I can make sure that the spelling and wording are correct. Thanks your your intrest and comments. I really do live for the feedback.


	51. Chapter 52

Sorry this one is so long, there was really not a good place to break it up. I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Catherine showed up later in the morning then she usually did. Kyoko had agreed to Catherine's slightly selfish request to sleep in, so Kyoko had offered to help the Okami with the breakfast crowd. She was just finishing up the dishes when Catherine arrived to pick her up. To Kyoko's surprise, the woman looked comfortable in her yoga pants, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes with her hair pulled up in a ponytail.

"Come on, we have a lot of stuff to get through." Catherine bowed a greeting to the owners of the restaurant before leading her charge away. "I have already had two more shipments of stuff sent over by Sawara-san this morning."

You could have knocked Kyoko over with a feather when she entered her manager's apartment. Catherine had not been kidding when she told her they had a lot of stuff. The collection of gifts had increased almost five times and took up most of Catherine's living room. Catherine brushed past the stunned girl and went into the kitchen to put on some tea. Not knowing where to start, Kyoko followed her manager to the kitchen to find there were more flowers sitting on the table there. Unlike the bouquets in the other room, this one had been arranged on the table with care. Kyoko wondered why these twelve red roses had warranted such a special place. Kyoko went over to inspect the flowers. A card was lying loose on the table with what Kyoko recognized as Catherine's silver anklet resting on the envelope. Kyoko looked form the arrangement to the anklet and then to the woman humming as she ladled lose tea into a pot.

"What is this?" Kyoko's curiosity was getting the better of her. Catherine looked over her shoulder to where her charge was pointing.

"Oh, that." Kyoko could almost see the spring in her step as Catherine crossed the room and picked up the card. "They took my anklet off in the hospital and someone was keeping it safe for me." Catherine flipped the card open and looked inside before closing it and slipping it back in the envelope with the anklet. "They sent it back to me this morning with these." Catherine waved at the flowers. Kyoko stared at her with wide eyes as the woman disappeared into the other room with the card. There was only one person that she could think of that was in the hospital for the nurse to give her jewelry to. Catherine choose to ignore her shocked guest when she came humming into the room. It took Kyoko a good long while of processing to rejoin the human race with a giggle as she finally but all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Are you and Yashiro-san going out now?" Kyoko was so excited she bounced. The sigh that slipped from Catherine was heart wrenching.

"No, we are both too busy to attempt anything like that." She admitted the problem. Kyoko's heart sank as she realized that it was her schedule that was keeping the two apart.

"What about going out for dinner in the evening after work?" Kyoko tried to come up a way the two could spend some time together.

"I can't take the time off to chase a boy, your safety comes first. Anyway Ren's schedule keep's him hopping." Catherine smiled slightly, a hint of meddling slipping into her voice. "He only gets time off when Ren is busy, but that is the life of a manager." Catherine carried the tea things into the living room so the two girls could get to work on the deliveries. Kyoko thought about this for a minute.

"I could arrange for Tsuruga-san to be taken care of so that Yashiro-san was free." Kyoko offered. Catherine stopped and looked at the girl.

"You would be willing to invite Ren to dinner?" Kyoko blanched at the implications of what she had just offered sunk in. She would have to spend an evening alone with the man that she had just discovered may love her. She was starting to accept his place in her heart, but her adjustment was going slow. She thought about taking the offer back, but she really wanted to see the two managers happy together. She steeled her heart and gave her answer.

"Yes. I can take Tsuruga-san to dinner so that you and Yashiro-san can have the night off." Kyoko's determination made Catherine smile before she placed the tray carefully on the couch and sat on the floor at the edge of the pile of presents.

"Thank you." Catherine accepted gratefully before motioning for Kyoko to join her. "But let's worry about that later. Right now we need to get this taken care of. "

The two girls worked for several straight hours dividing, opening, and cataloging the gifts. After about 20 minutes of Catherine humming the same snatches of a tune over and over again, she finally decided that the tedious work needed real music and set up her laptop. There were only so many times that one sing 'Danny Boy' before needed something new. This addition made the work go faster.

"We are nearly halfway done, you want to stop and break for dinner?" Catherine pulled the girls attention away from the card she was reading.

"Ya, that sounds great." Kyoko pulled one more box from the pile into her lap.

"How about I order something to be delivered?" Catherine really did not want to stop long enough to cook, this was turning into more of a job then she first thought it would be. "Pizza?" Catherine asked when Kyoko nodded.

"That's fine." Kyoko agreed and Catherine went to get her phone while the teen looked at the strange box in her lap. She could have sworn the weight just shifted as she looked over the box for a return address. Not finding one, she careful pulled the string and lifted the lid off the box.

Catherine dropped her phone when she heard Kyoko scream and dashed back to the living room to see Kyoko standing on the couch, she was pointing at the toppled box on Catherine's Persian rug. The box had landed completely upside down hiding whatever had scared the actress. Catherine went to see what was causing the problem.

"It's a SNAKE!" Kyoko yelled as her manager placed her hand on the box. This made Catherine pause. She was not afraid of snakes, but she was not having a very safe month, so she decided caution was prudent. She pulled back and picked up a heave brown vase from her entertainment center and placed it on top of the box so that the snake could not escape. Once the animal was secure, she went to get something to catch it in. As she went in the room, she picked up the forgotten phone and canceled her order with the promise to call them back as soon as things settled down.

Catherine scoured her room trying to think of what would be good to confine the serpent in. Her thoughts turned to the large plastic box that was filled with her fair clothing. Dumping the contents on the bed, she carried the bin out and discarded the pottery before dropping the clear bin over the box coving the snake. After a little coaxing, Catherine got Kyoko off the couch to help clear the rug so they could lift it up and turn the entire thing over so the snake fell into the container. On the count of three, the two women flipped the rug over and they hear a thump and loud hiss as the box dropped into the bottom of the clear bin. Catherine had Kyoko hold the rug so that she could get the plastic top that would clip on securely. Again the women counted to three and Kyoko moved the rug as Catherine slipped the top on and clicked it in place.

The two women looked at the dark olive colored snake as it curled in the bottom of the bin. As Catherine came closer to the box side, the snake struck madly at the woman, only to hit the plastic.

"It did not bit you?" Catherine looked at her charge in concern.

"No." Kyoko shook her head. She had dropped the box as soon as she saw the scaly tail of the snake.

"We need to call the police." Catherine pulled out her phone and started dialing. "I think that is a Black Mamba." Kyoko looked at the agitated snake again. She could clearly see the large fangs in the black lining of its mouth where the snake was warning her off. She fell backwards as the snake struck out again to bang into the clear plastic box. Catherine hung up the phone and suppressed a laugh as she saw the actress fall on her butt. "Leave the poor thing alone. It's probably terrified."

"IT'S terrified! What about me?" Kyoko looked up at her manager as Catherine reached down to help the fallen girl up.

"Well yes, but you weren't shoved in a box, shaken up, dropped twice, and trapped in a bin to be ogled by larger creatures." Catherine made the poor snake's plight sound horrible. Kyoko couldn't help up feel sorry for the stresses out creature. "Let's head to the kitchen till the police get her. I am going to need some fresh tea before I call Lory on this one."

It was 30 minutes later when the police showed up. Catherine has spent most of that time explaining to Lory about the creature and how it was found and captured. After reassuring him that no one got hurt, he informed her that he was going to call Ren and Yashiro. She sighed as she agreed; Ren would never let her live if they did not call. She promised to call Lory back when she heard the police knock on her door.

"Good afternoon." Catherine opened the door for the two people standing at her door.

"Good afternoon," The female returned her greeting. "I am Detective Sato Miwako and this is my partner Detective Takagi Wataru. I understand that there has been an incident here today."

"I am glad you are here." Catherine invited the detectives in. "You may keep your shoes on it you like. My name is Catherine Saunders and the problem is over here." Catherine led the two detectives into the living room. Kyoko stood in the doorway to watch the police officers work. Detective Takagi knelt down next to the box and looked at the snake curled up in the corner.

"We were called out for a rampant snake?" It was obvious that this man did not understand the situation.

"This snake was delivered in that box to Mogami Kyoko." Catherine pointed to the actress still standing in the doorway. Recognition hit the male officer when he saw the up and coming actress.

"Aren't you the actress from 'Darkmoon' and 'Box R'?" The man asked. Kyoko nodded and stepped into the living room for a proper introduction. After the pleasantries were done, the man turned his attention back to the snake and the packaging that it was sent it. He pulled out a pair of rubber gloves and went to remove the packing from the bin. Catherine stopped him with a hand on the lid.

"I would not do that if I were you." The detective looked up at her.

"Why not?" He asked.

"As far as we can tell this snake is a Black Mamba." Catherine explained. When the man did not recognize the name, Catherine turned her focus to the female detective. "It is a very aggressive and deadly poisons snake." This brought understanding to both detectives and they stepped away from the bin. "I was sure that I informed the lady on the phone about this issue properly."

"That would explain why we are here." Detective Sato explained. "We work homicide in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department." Catherine nodded her head in understanding.

"I apologize for any confusion, but I think this is an attempt on her life." Both of the detectives agreed before calling someone from animal control that could handle the creature. Catherine offered them tea while they took statements.

The group sat in Catherine's kitchen sipping tea and talking about Kyoko's work, the gifts in the other room, and the accident that had caused the outpouring when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Expecting it to be animal control, Catherine excused herself to get the door. She was very surprised when she opened the door to find Ren and Yashiro standing in the hallway.

"You didn't have to come right away." Catherine sighed as she invited the men into the apartment.

"Ren finished early and decided that we needed to come here instead of dinner before his model shoot this evening." Yashiro explained as he followed the taller man into the living room. Ren stopped to look at the snake in the box. The creature had gotten use to its new environment and was curled up ignoring the world.

"By the way." Catherine's soft words drew Yashiro's attention from his charge. "Thank you for the flowers. That was sweet." The bespectacled man blushed and cleared the embracement from his throat.

"You're welcome." Yashiro tried to turn his focus back to his charge, but his eyes were drawn to the woman heading back into the kitchen.

"It was not animal control." Catherine informed her guests as she pulled two more cups from the cabinet and poured tea for the new arrivals. The two detectives found their feet when the tall actor and his manager finally pulled themselves away from the snake and into the kitchen.

"Detective Sato, Detective Takagi, I would like to introduce you to Tsuruga Ren and Yashiro Yukihito." Catherine calmly introduced them as she handed them cups of tea. The guest bowed to each other before Ren joined them at the table. There were not enough chairs, so Yashiro stood leaning against the counter as Catherine pulled a cake out and sliced a piece for everyone. Ren eyed the bouquet of roses pushed to the corner of the table before turning his attention to the actress.

"Good evening Mogami-san. Takarada-san called me to tell me what happened." Ren tried to sound as calm as possible in front of the watchful eyes of the detectives. There is no telling what he would have done if they did not have an audience. "Are you ok?" Kyoko's mind has short circuited when the tall man had walked through the door. Catherine's words had washed over her again and she had frozen in panic. The cool tone he took with her now cleared her head and she answered in as normal a tone as she could muster.

"Yes. I am ok, just a little shaken up." Kyoko admitted. She was doing a lot better than when she first discovered the snake. Catherine slid the pieces of cake in front of her guests as they talked. Kyoko was glad to have something to put her attention to instead of the tall man plaguing her heart. The actors chatted lightly with the detectives as they ate their treat. Catherine returned to stand close beside the man leaning on her counter. Yashiro was in heaven, not only had Catherine ensured he had SOMETHING to eat, but he was relishing the feel of her warmth by his side.

The conversation was interrupted when another knock sounded from the door. Catherine sighed and pushed away from the counter, brushing against the man that was standing close by her side. This time it was animal control and it only took the man a few minutes to collect the snake and pack it up for transport to the Tokyo Zoo. It looked to be a beautiful specimen and he was sure that they would love to add it to their collection. Kyoko smiled and waved good bye to the little animal. Although she was not fond of snakes, it made her happy that the creature would be given a good home and not killed outright. Ren was about to grab up the cute girl and kiss her soundly when the two detectives addressed the actress and her manager.

"We will take this and your statement's down to the station and have trace ran on it to see if we can determine where it came from." Detective Sato placed the box that contained the snake in an evidence bag. "Please be careful and let us know if you need us again." The two officers bowed their way out and left the actors and managers alone.

"We need to be going too." Yashiro informed Ren. "We only stopped by to check on you between jobs." He explained to the women.

"Then don't let us keep you." Catherine led the way to the door. Ren turned to look at his kohai.

"Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help." Ren's gentle face and kind words made Kyoko's heart flutter. She was sure that she could hear deeper emotions in his words. She swallowed hard before answering him.

"Y-y-yes." She stuttered a little under the weight of his warm brown eyes. She walked him to the door that Catherine opened for them. As Yashiro followed the actors into the hall, his heart leaped as Catherine reached up and patted his upper arm tenderly.

"Have a nice night." It was all he could do to stop himself from scooping her up and stealing a kiss, and if they did not have an audience watching him, he would have. Instead, Yashiro reached out and touched her side at the waist and wished her a good night. The girls watched as the boys disappeared down the elevator.

"Come on Kyoko, it's getting late and we still need to get something to eat before I take you home." Catherine ushered the young woman back into her house where they ordered that pizza that they had decided on earlier.

As they sat around eating, Catherine came up with an idea.

"I think we need to arrange for a temple visit in the near future." Kyoko was shocked by this suggestion.

"I did not know that you were religious." Kyoko inquired.

"I'm not really, but with all of the poor luck we have been having lately, I think it would be a good idea." Catherine laughed. "We can use all the help we can get."

Ren turned to his manager as soon as the elevator doors closed.

"I saw that." He teased the older man. Yashiro blushed lightly as he popped his glasses, but refused to let himself be flustered by the man. Seeing that he was not getting a rise out of his friend, Ren tried again. "And those roses were very nice." This finally got a response out of the man.

"You really need to ask Kyoko out."


	52. Chapter 53

Here is the next section for you. I originaly did not like it, but I have been told it works well, so I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

The next few days were relatively quit. The girls spent most of their free time opening and cataloging the gifts that were still coming into LME for Kyoko. After the snake, Catherine insisted that she open the boxes, and Kyoko was more than willing to let her. There were a lot of interesting things sent, but no more live (or dead) animals. Detective Sato did call to let Catherine know that they had been unable to obtain any information on who had sent the animal from the packing and they were looking into where one could get a Black Mamba in Japan, but those leads were coming up short too. She advised that they increase Kyoko's security and be very vigilant of their surroundings. Catherine assured her they would and promised to call if anything happened. Eventually, the influx slowed and life returned to normal.

Kyoko was saved from having to do Sho's PV when Catherine received a call from Haruki Asami. Apparently there had been a small fire while they were dressing the location for the shoot. One of the lighting units had shorted out and burnt part of the house. There were no injuries and they were able to put the fire out quickly, but the owners were really upset and refusing to allow the shoot to go on. Kyoko could not help but be happy that she did not have to deal with the narcissistic singer. She was still upset with him for the way that he had treated her manager.

A few more days more found Kyoko on location for the filming she had missed due to the accident. Kyoko paused between takes to look over at her manager. Catherine had taken off her coat and was sitting closely together with Yashiro talking. Kyoko couldn't help but sigh at how cute a couple those two made. She could just hear Catherine's bright laughter as she responded to an unheard comment from the man talking to her.

"They do make a nice pair." A deep voice pulled Kyoko's attention away from the managers as Ren stopped next to her. Catherine's words from the other day in her apartment slipped into her mind and she turned to face the tall actor.

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko began before her courage gave out. "Would you have dinner with me?" Ren stared at the actress with an open mouth, the shock showing plainly on his face.

"Excuse me?" Sure his ears had stopped functioning correctly, he had to have her repeat that. Had the girl he loved just asked him out!

"Umm." Kyoko fidgeted sure that she had just overstepped her place. "I asked if you would have dinner with me." Seeing that Ren was not responding to her, Kyoko rambled on trying to defend her position. "Umm.. you see.. Kat-chan can't go out with Yashiro-san unless she had the evening free, and she can only get the evening free if someone is with me, so I was thinking that she could have the time to go out with Yashiro-san if I went to dinner with you, but if you would rather not, then I am sure that I can…." Kyoko was cut off when Ren reached out and pulled the flustered actress into a tight hug.

"You are such a sweetheart." Ren chuckled at the girl. "Of course I would be happy to take you to dinner." His heart sang with joy. The girl he loved had asked him to dinner. True she had an ulterior motive, but it still touched him deeply that she had taken that step by herself. This would give him the perfect opportunity to show her exactly how he felt about her. Their moment was cut short when a loud squee issued from Ren's manager. Catherine had seen the couple's embrace and pointed it out to the excitable man. Ren released a very red Kyoko and took her hand to pull her over to where the managers were sitting.

"Yashiro, Mogami-san has just asked me to dinner." Ren smiled at the little actress. "What days next week do I have available?" Kyoko didn't think it was possible to get any redder, but she did. Yashiro let out another fan-girl squee and produced his planer. After a few attempts, the two managers were able to agree that Saturday night would be perfect for both actors and Yashiro scribbled it in his book with big hearts around it. Kyoko felt like she was going to die of embarrassment as the actor held her hand and smiled at her gently. Catherine smiled at the pair. Her eyes were drawn by movement from behind the actors.

"I think the director is trying to get your attention." Both Ren and Kyoko turned to look back to the set. Kyoko took this opportunity to free her hand from the tall actor's grasp. Ren felt a little twinge of loss when she pulled away, but he let her have her space. He did not want to scare the girl just after she had made such a big leap. The director waved for Ren to come over, and the actor went to see what he needed. Kyoko watched him go. Her heart was pounding so hard that it was making her light headed. She could not believe that she had asked him to dinner, and she really could not believe that he had agreed.

Kyoko was glad that she did not have many scenes left in the day. Every time she faced Ren, her heart would flutter like a trapped bird. It took several bouts of self-scolding to calm down enough to finish out the day. It was only after Catherine had gotten her back into the car and away from the handsome man that she truly started to recover. She was still having a hard time believing that she had actually asked him out. She almost died when he did not answer right away and an odd mixture of relief, shock, and something that warmed her gut swirled through her when he had embraced her and agreed. She understood the relief and the shock, but it was the something else that bothered her. She could never remember that feeling before. She worried that she might be getting sick, it was kind of like cramps, but not painful.

"That was very kind of you." Catherine interrupted the teen's thoughts. "I know how much it took for you to ask him out. Thank you." Kyoko blushed again.

"You have done so much for me, it was the least I could do for you." Kyoko was happy that she could do something for her manager.

.

**Authors note:** I want to apologize to anyone that was looking forward to Sho's PV. I must have written that thing ten times in different ways and they all turned out really bad. I even wrote him an original song (that was pretty nice) to give the story depth, but it never turned out well. Sho's part never felt right. I just couldn't slip myself into his skin and mind to get the right interplay between him and Kyoko. If I get enough requests for it, I may try to work it out as a one shot after I finished this story, but I want to complete this before I get involved in anything else.

I also want to complement **ScarletShad0w** on the catch. I didn't think anyone would notice if I borrowed the Detectives from Detective Conan (also one of my favorite mangas). I had to laugh when you called me on the cameo. I think they worked well in this situation.


	53. Chapter 54

See. I promised a quick up date and a better chapter. I hope this one lives up to your expectations. Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

The week went quickly and Kyoko found herself not wanting to get out of bed on Saturday morning. She had been thinking about her impending date all week and had not slept well. Every time she did get to sleep, she would wake up from a strange dream, and there had been many dreams all ranging from Ren not showing up to him taking her home to be 'alone'. Some of them had made her happy, some scared, and some had left her with that strange feeling that she did not understand.

Kyoko finally got up and ready for the day. She checked on the outfit that Catherine had helped her pick out. Kyoko had originally thought about making dinner for Ren like she normally did, but the stubborn man had refused. He told her that since this would be their first 'date' he wanted to take her to someplace special. He insisted that she dress up for the occasion. She petted the gauzy floral print dress. She loved the way the white gussets allowed the hemline to swirl as she walked. Catherine had shown her how to use the little rose clip to make the straight cut dress cling in just the right places. She felt like an English lady in the dress.

"Kyoko-chan." The voice of the Okami interrupted her thoughts. "Catherine-san is here for you." Kyoko grabbed her bag for the day and raced down the steps to her waiting manager. The sight that met her made her stop on the steps.

Catherine was already dressed for the evening. The dark dress she wore clung to her body and flared at the hips to a fluttering hemline. She could just make out the thumbnail size antique pink flowers sprinkled across the dark material. It was held in place by a line of small pearl down the front, and lacing down the back. The dress was completed with a few petal-like sleeves that hung from the shoulders just covering the top of the upper arm. Catherine finished off the outfit with the same lily jewelry she had worn to the benefit and a tight twist in her hair. Kyoko had to admit that her manager looked very classy.

"You're going to wear that today?" Kyoko asked when she reached the bottom of the steps.

"You don't like it?" Catherine twirled a little so that the hem flared out.

"It's beautiful, but…" Kyoko did not know how to explain her thoughts, but Catherine picked up her meaning.

"We are going to have just enough time to get back here this evening so that you can get dressed, so I thought I would save time later and start the day ready." Catherine smiled as she toyed with her car keys. Kyoko nodded her understanding. "Now if we don't get moving, we are going to be late." Kyoko said goodbye to her landlords and the pair headed out to start the day.

Kyoko sat on the bench next to Catherine's coat while her manage stepped away to get the actress something cool to drink. The summer was starting to wane, but it was still very hot out. Kyoko was amazed at how well Catherine was taking the heat. It didn't look like the woman even broke a sweat in that dark fabric. Catherine had decided to let Kyoko rest and pick up some milkshakes from the shop across the street from the park they were filming in. Kyoko watched the woman walk away as she turned her lines for the next scene over in her head. She could not help but notice that Catherine was almost as attractive as her best friend when she dressed up. Unfortunately, someone else noticed the same thing.

Catherine did not mind the two guys closing behind her until they were in her personal space. To her surprise, an arm snaked its way across her shoulder and she was pulled into the line of the man's body.

"Hey baby, is that for me?" He reached out to take one of the shakes that Catherine was carrying. Catherine moved it away from his hand before he could grab it and shrugged him off.

"No it's not. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." She continued on her route without even stopping. The two men took offence that she had just shrugged them off.

"Hey." The other man grabbed Catherine's shoulder and pulled her around making her drop her treat. "Listen here….." The rest of what the man would have said was lost when Catherine clamped his hand to her shoulder and preformed a joint lock on his arm that landed him face down in the spilt milkshakes. The second man, seeing his friend in trouble, tried to grab the girl off from him. Without releasing the first man, Catherine flipped the second one over to land on his back next to his friend. The fight was taken out of him when Catherine painfully pressed the sharp point of her heel into a very sensitive place while she bent the other man's arm back again.

"Listen here…" She used the man's word for affect. "You do not treat a lady like that. When she says no, you respect her wished and leave. Understand?" Both men nodded there agreement and Catherine released them. "Now get!" The two men picked themselves up and disappeared from her sight. Catherine looked down to survey the damage as Kyoko came pounding up with her coat. The actress had seen the manager in trouble and was coming to help.

"Are you alright?" Kyoko panted as she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes dropped to the blood starting to run down her manager's leg.

"I'm fine." Catherine looked at the milkshake staining the front of her dress. It had spilt on her when she dropped them, and she had gotten more on her when she flipped her second attacker. She had used her knee as a fulcrum to flip the heavy man, scuffing the skin and tearing the stocking in the process. Catherine picked up some of the napkins she had been carrying with the shakes and pressed them to her bleeding wound. "Let go back to the ice cream shop so I can get cleaned up." Kyoko agreed as Catherine picked up the empty cups and carried them to the closet trashcan before leading the way back to the shop she had just come from.

The owner of the shop was horrified when the dirty bleeding woman walked through the door. After a quick explanation of what happened, he was glad to lend Catherine a few hand towels, a first aid kit, and the bathroom to clean up. Catherine came out in considerably better shape than she when in and found that the manager had remade the milkshakes for the girls and insisted that they take them at no cost. Feeling a little guilty at his kindness, Catherine dropped a rather large tip in the jar and thanked the man before they left.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Kyoko asked as the two women walked back to the shoot location. She looked at the very wet front of Catherine's dress and the white bandage peeking out at her knee. Catherine had removed the damaged stocking and was running around in her bare legs.

"I really am ok." Catherine fanned the front of her dress a little. "It will dry and not leave a stain." Kyoko did not have much time to think about the attack when they got back to the site. The director had been looking for her to start the next scene and Kyoko apologizes and hurried to get to her place. Now that Kyoko was occupied, Catherine limped over to the bench and sat down. She had been forcing herself to walk normal around the girl so as not to alarm her. She hadn't really hurt the joint, but man did it sting!

Catherine inspected the items she could see from her seat on Kyoko's floor. The woman had donned the new stockings they had picked up on their way back and was sitting with her good leg folded under her, and the injured leg stretched out in front of her. She took in the pristine poster of the man picking the girl up and the slightly shredded poster of the singer on the wall. He considered the dried rose and Princess Rose's bed next to it. What really caught her eye were the lifelike dolls of Ren that were stuck around the room. There had to be twenty of thirty of them squirreled away in little nooks. The outfits were so delicately done and the faces were so lifelike that Catherine just had to smile. She picked up the pair of dolls that graced the top of the table. She could tell the male was Ren with dark hair and gothic clothing by comparing it to the other versions of him lying around, but she could not figure out who the matching girl was. She puzzled on it for a bit until Kyoko came back from the shower where she had just washed away the final reminiscence of Natsu. Catherine looked at the girl wrapped in the towel and realized the doll was her.

"Did you make these?" Catherine pointed to the matching dolls on the table. Kyoko looked at the item and blushed lightly.

"Yes." She admitted. "Those are the Heel siblings." She turned her attention back to getting ready.

"You do very good work." Catherine complemented her as she picked up a Ren doll that was just poking out from under the table. "You really caught his personality in this one." Kyoko looked back to see that Catherine had picked up one of the dolls with a scowl on its face. It was one of the ones that she used to chastise herself when the real Ren was not around. Kyoko blushed harder as the woman looked at the doll. An idea crossed her mind. "Would it be possible for you to make me one of these?" Catherine looked up at the young woman. Kyoko considered it for a moment before answering.

"Sure, but why?" Catherine smiled as the answer.

"I know someone that would really appreciate something like this." The faces of two people in America that would love to have a miniature Ren flashed in her mind. "But could you make him blond instead?" Kyoko giggled at the thought of a blond Ren and agreed to the odd request.

Ren pulled up in front of the Darumaya and parked behind Catherine's car. Both he and Yashiro were excited about the evening's activities. Yashiro had planned out exactly where Ren was going to take Kyoko and had come up with some spectacular ideas for ways Ren could confess his feelings for the girl. When Ren asked what Yashiro had planned for Catherine, the man just smiled and looked at him over his glasses before assuring him that they would have a good time. The two men got out of the car and went in to collect their ladies for the evening. The Okami meet them and showed them to seats at the bar before disappearing up the steps to get the women. The Taishou glared at the two well-dressed men before pulling out his biggest knife and running it up and down a steel to sharpen it. Ren swallowed hard as the man wiped the blade on a towel before pulling out a chunk of meat and carving the knife through it menacingly.

"Be sure to have her home before it gets late." The Taishou pinned Ren with an intense look.

"Yes sir." Ren answered. Yashiro snickered a little and elbowed the terrified actor. The Taishou turned his look to the manager and pinned him with the look he just gave Ren.

"Both of you." This killed Yashiro's mirth as he straightened up and promised the same. The two men sat in fear as they watched the stoic reduce the slab of meat into tiny chunks. The Okami came back down and looked at the pile of flesh before turning her attention to the pale men across the counter.

"The girls are on their way down now." She turned to get a bin to place the mutilated beef into. "I thought you said we had enough cubed meat." The men had already turned to see the girls coming down the steps, so they missed the Okami's comment.

Ren's breath caught as his eyes landed on the gauze wrapped woman. The dress hugged her just right, yet floated around her. He was sure he could hear soft music playing in the background somewhere. He could not help but looking at the necklace centered in the middle of the skin the modest neckline exposed. To Ren's delight, Kyoko had chosen to wear Princess Rose. Kyoko stopped on the bottom step and stared at the man's reaction. She was not sure what to do when Ren rose and closed the distance between them. Her heart nearly stopped when he captured her hand and guided her the rest of the way down the steps.

"You look beautiful tonight." Ren rubbed the back of her hand gently. Kyoko's mind froze at the intimate feel of his touch.

"You think I would let her out if she did not look good." The spell Ren had cast was broken and Kyoko remembered how to breathe again. Catherine smiled warmly at the girl. Yashiro approached her and bowed slightly.

"You look amazing tonight too." Yashiro complement brought a light blush to Catherine's cheeks. Catherine smiled shyly and thanked the man before bowing a farewell to the Okami and Taishou. The two couples left to go on their separate dates.

**Author's note**: Tune in next time when we get to the part that everyone has been waiting for….


	54. Chapter 55

And now to the part that you have been waiting for… no I am not going to tell you where the rumors came from, that is still a few chapters away, but I will give you something else fun. I think you all know what it coming. **** FLUFF ALERT****

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.

Ren escorted Kyoko to his car and opened the door for her to get in. Her eyes slipped once to the couple getting into the car in front of them before she sat down and buckled her seatbelt. Ren shut the door and looked at his manager who was giving him an encouraging wave before disappearing into Catherine's car. Ren shook his head and settled in for the drive to the restaurant. Yashiro had made arrangements for the couple to dine in a five-start French restaurant that had privet dining rooms. Heads did turn as the hostess showed the famous actor through the main dining area and into the secluded room, but no one bothered them as they passed.

Kyoko was amazed by the individual dining room. The far wall was painted with a railing and the night skyline of Paris. Kyoko turned to look at the wall they just passed through to find that it was painted with a brick wall with windows. The ceiling was dark and covered in hundreds of tiny white dots like starts. The entire place gave you the feel of really being on the balcony of a French café at night. It was so amazing that Kyoko just spun around in awe. Ren's heart swelled to see the girl so happy. He was reluctant to draw her away from her fantasy, but they did need to sit down for dinner. Kyoko was shocked back to reality when Ren placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Embarrassment colored her face and Ren had to scold himself to keep from pulling the darling girl against him.

"Come on, it's time to sit down." Kyoko turned a little redder and Ren had to swallow back his desires again. He waved the waiter away as he placed the young woman in her chair and pushed it in for her. The waiter handed her a menu as Ren took his seat. Once settled, Ren took up his menu and looked over it. Confused by the French words, Kyoko looked over at her dinner partner. Ren saw the worried look on her face. "Problem with the menu?" Ren asked and Kyoko nodded.

"I don't know what any of this stuff is." She admitted. She would rather not have told him the truth, but it was better than getting something uneatable. Ren smiled kindly at her.

"Would you like me to order for us?" Ren offered.

"Yes please." Kyoko was glad that he understood.

"Ok, let's see. That will be one order of frog legs." Ren smiled as he teased the girl. The horrified look on Kyoko's face made Ren laugh. Kyoko glared at him and Ren calmed down his mirth and placed his menu on the table. "I am sorry, I promise not to get you frog legs." When the waiter came back Ren gave the man their dinner order and the menus. He also asked for some sparkling cider to go with the food.

"Tell me how your day was." Ren coaxed Kyoko into talking to him again. She proceeded to tell him about the filming and the Catherine's encounter with the ruffians. Ren listen intently as she rambled on, nodding and gasping at just the right spots to keep the girl talking. He loved the sound of her voice and could listen to her go on about nothing all day long. She ended her tale just as the waiter brought in the salad and appetizers. Ren spent most of the meal telling her about his day, well that is until she chastised him for not eating. When the meal was cleared away, the two sat sipping tea and letting their dinner settle before the waiter brought out the desert cart.

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko started nervously, she had been debating through the entire evening about asking Ren something, and she just could not take it anymore.

"Yes?" Ren answered and lifted his cup to his lips.

"Do you think I'm special?" Ren choked on his tea when Kyoko asked her question. The young woman hopped up and came to pat the suffocating man on the back as he coughed up the brown liquid. Once he could breathe again, Ren took both of her hands in his and looked her in the eyes.

"Of course I think you're special." Ren informed her. "What made you ask such a thing?" With her hands trapped in Ren's grasp, Kyoko burst into tears and relayed the entire conversation she had with Catherine in the car to him. Clear down to the point where Catherine told her to ask him. Shocked at this development, Ren pulled the distraught girl into his lap and let her cry herself out against his chest. He held her close and patted her until she regained her composure and sat up. Embarrassed at her position, she tried to rise from his lap, but Ren held her firmly in place. "Listen Kyoko." The use of her given name without honorifics made her pause in her struggles to get free. "I don't care what anyone else has told you. You are special to me. You make me happy and take care of me when I need it." Ren paused in his words and waffled for a second before proceeding with this train of thought. "Kyoko, I love you and have done so for a long time now." Kyoko considered the man confessing to her for a long moment. Ren's heart stopped beating as he waited for a reaction from her.

"If you have l..l…lo..ved me for a while, why haven't you said anything." Kyoko asked. Ren sighed and dropped his head to rest on the woman's shoulder.

"I have wanted to for a long time, but every time I would start, you looked so terrified that I just could not bear to do it." Ren explained the problem to her. "I was afraid that you would run away from me and I would lose the one thing that truly made me happy." Ren held on to the still girl for a few minutes longer as she processed his answer. Ren's heart started again when Kyoko wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.

"I will not run away." Kyoko whispered to him. Ren nearly crushed the girl to him in his happiness. Ren released her to look into her eyes. He could still see the hint of fear and confusion that she held there. Ren took her hand and rubbed it reassuringly.

"Thank you Kyoko." Ren noticed the way Kyoko's breathe caught when he used her name. "I understand love scares you, and if you're willing to accept me, I will be happy to take it as slow as you need." Kyoko nodded slightly. Things were moving a little too fast for her grudges to handle. The box was open again and they were running around screaming. Ren considered kissing her, but decided that she would not be able to handle it yet. Instead, he laid a light kiss on the back of her hand before releasing her from his lap. It took her a full minute to process what he had done and get up to reclaim her seat for dessert.

The waiter pushed the dessert cart in as soon as Kyoko had settled herself in her chair. He had poked his head in during the actor's confession and discreetly removed himself so that he would not disturb them. He tried not to show his excitement at the development. He knew he was going to get a really big tip from the man that had made the arrangements for the dinner. At first he had been against the idea of the hidden cameras in the privet room, but the man was Tsuruga Ren's manager, so after some persuasion, he finally agreed to set it up. He served up the cakes for the actors and left to go call the man about the happenings.

Kyoko dug into her cake so she would not have to look at the man making bedroom eyes at her. She deemed that the soft look he was giving her needed a warning label attached. It was fatal to most of the woman in Tokyo. Ren laid his hand out across the table for the girl to take. Not sure if it was alright, Kyoko slipped her hand up onto the table and placed it in her beloved senpai's larger hand. Ren closed his fingers around her hand and drew her attention away from her dessert.

"In the near future we need to sit down and have a long talk." Ren could see her nervousness. "When you have come to accept this, but not tonight." Kyoko relaxed a little. "There are some things that I need to tell you, but only when you're ready." Kyoko nodded and Ren rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand again. "Can I ask one favor of you now?" Ren could feel her tense. "Would you please call me by my given name?"

After dinner, Ren decided it would be a good night for a walk in the park before he took Kyoko home. It had taken him the rest of dinner to convince her to call him by his name, but she only agreed to it when they were alone. Ren insisted that she use it when Yashiro and Catherine were around, because they would never have any alone time while Catherine was her body guard. Reluctantly, Kyoko agreed. As they walked Ren had made the girl repeat his name over and over until she could say it with only a little stutter. It was music to his hears and he sighed in happiness every time her lips formed the word. Eventually, the night grew late and Ren decided it would be a good idea to get the young woman home before he had to explain himself to the stoic man with the large knife.

Ren stopped in the doorway to the Darumaya holding Kyoko's hands. He stood there getting lost in her golden eyes for a while before the noise from inside drew his attention away for a moment, he swallowed thinking about little chunks of meat before bring his mind back to the woman in front of him.

"Kyoko," He began, his heart thumped at her name on his lips. "I love you and I will always be here for you." Ren raised her hands to his lips and kissed her hands again. He held himself back from kissing her on the mouth, knowing it would only confuse and distress the young woman. "Have a good night and I will call you tomorrow." Ren released the girl and Kyoko glanced back at him before slipping behind the door and up to her room. It took her the better part of the night for her heart to calm down.

Ren watched the doorway swallow the girl that now held his heart in her hands. He was glad that he had told her and that she had promised not to run away. Now he just had to hold onto himself so that he did not move to fast for the girl's sensibilities. Ren sighed and took himself home. He spent most of the night lying on the bed remembering the feel of her in his arms, and think about the next time he would be able to have her there.

Author's note: HE CONFESSED! SQUEEEEEE! Ok.. that's out of my system now.. on to the other pair….


	55. Chapter 56

Now for some fun with the managers. Please let me know what you think. ****** MORE FLUFF ALERT******

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Yashiro settled into the seat next to the woman plaguing his heart. He watched her every moved as she shifted her dress around as the front split halfway up her thigh. He could see she stocking between the buttons where the dress rested across her leg. He shivered as he thought about how easy it would be to unhook those buttons to expose more of the stocking covered skin on her legs. He listened to the dulcet tones of her voice caress his skin and muttered his agreement to anything she wanted. It was the harsh clearing of the throat that snapped his mind back to the here and now. He looked at her face to see that she was waiting for something from him. He searched his memory for the question she asked, but could not pull it out of the fantasy he was just having.

"I am sorry, what did you say?" Yashiro was ashamed to have to ask her to repeat herself. Catherine giggled at the man.

"I said where are we going for dinner?" Catherine teased her passenger. "Unless you just want to forgo dinner and just jump straight into the sack?" Yashiro blushed as she suggested the very thing he had been fantasizing about. He could tell from her tone that she was not serious.

"Sorry." Yashiro apologized again. "I have reservations at Amerigo's" Yashiro gave Catherine the address and she headed out with a smile on her face. They rode is an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Yashiro was embarrassed to have been caught looking at her legs, again. He couldn't help himself, she had such nice legs, and she always had them covered up by those blasted pants. Catherine decided that she needed to do something so that this would not ruin their evening.

"How was your day?" She glanced over at the quite man in her passenger seat. Yashiro jumped on this opportunity to change the subject. He rambled on about what Ren had done and his plans for Ren's date tonight. Catherine listened to him for a while, but all he seemed to talk about was Ren. Catherine laughed as she realized how much the actor regulated and dictated this man's life. Yashiro stopped his story and looked at the woman.

"What's funny?" Yashiro could not think of anything that he had said to cause her mirth. Catherine stopped giggling and glanced at him before changing lanes.

"I just realized how much both of our lives revolve around our charges." Catherine explained. "I asked you what you did, and you told me what Ren did." Yashiro stopped to think about the story that he had been telling her, and had to laugh at it too.

"I guess I did." Yashiro smiled at her. "What did you do today?" Catherine giggled and told him what Kyoko did. By the time the two had arrived at the restaurant they were laughing at their shared plight.

They had both calmed down by the time they had been showed to their candle lit table in the little Italian restaurant. Catherine folded her menu and looked at the man across the table from her.

"I didn't know that you like Italian food." Catherine smiled at him. Yashiro broke a bread stick in half and dipped the end in the oil and swirled the spices around.

"I do like good Italian." The man admitted before he took a bite of the oil covered bread. Catherine smiled and joined him in eating the bread. "So tell me something about yourself." Yashiro looked at his date over the top of his glasses. Catherine blushed at the intensity of his gaze. She chewed her bread slowly as she thought about the best thing to share.

"Italian is my favorite food group." Yashiro smiled at her. He knew she would like it after the chicken parmesan that she had made. She went on to explain it was the tomatoes in it that made her enjoy the food. Yashiro closed his eyes and let her voice wash over him; he loved the way she pronounced her Japanese. She spoke her words very well, but it had that little hint in the intonation that let him know that it was not her native language. His mind caught a word that did not belong in her torrent about tomatoes. He came back to hear her describing the purple tentacled alien tomatoes that had landed their space craft in downtown Tokyo and were in the process of turning the town over to find the best sake to take back to their intergalactic rave. He couldn't help but laugh at her imagination. "You're listening again?" She asked in a teasing tone.

"I can't help it." Yashiro sighed. "I love listening to the way you speak." Catherine gave him an odd look, but he was prevented from explaining further by the waitress coming to get their order. Both Yashiro and Catherine ordered red wine and lasagna with stuffed mushrooms for the appetizer. Catherine took a sip of the wine and turned her attention back to the conversation they were having.

"I was under the impression that my pronunciation was very good." Catherine almost sounded offended at the idea that her Japanese was poor. Yashiro shook his head.

"You pronunciation is very good, and you speak very well. You just have a slight bit of an accent." Yashiro smiled at her warmly. Catherine giggled a little under his gaze.

"Everyone likes a good accent." Catherine teased him.

"Yes, everyone likes a good accent." Yashiro spoke to her in English with a thick Japanese accent. Catherine giggled at him again.

"Stop it." She smacked his hand on the table. Yashiro saw the movement and caught her hand when it came down. All teasing left his voice and warmth filled his eyes.

"You really do have a beautiful voice." Catherine blushed harder. She got lost in the glint of the candlelight reflecting in his honey-brown eyes. They held this position for a few minutes until their attention was pulled away when the waitress came up with the appetizer. The couple pulled apart with a slightly embarrassed blush and turned their attention to the food presented to them.

It was a wonderful meal and several glasses of wine later when the managers left the restaurant with a larger order of tiramisu in a bag. Catherine insisted on the decadent dessert, but was unable to eat the treat at the moment. Catherine giggled at Yashiro when he stood up to find that he had at least one glass of wine to many. She had managed to get the drunk and giddy man to the car before his phone rang. Yashiro pulled the device out and answered it. He listened to the man on the phone for a moment before the line went dead. Yashiro looked at the silent electronic device trying to figure out why it stopped working. He let out a very colorful swear word when he realized that he had answered the thing with his bare hand.

"Who was it on the phone?" She asked.

"It was the waitress from the restaurant Ren and Kyoko went to." Yashiro shook his head trying to clear the wine from it. "I think he said that they were done." The movement made him dizzy and he laid his head back against the seat. "I had him put in a hidden camera in their room to find out what happened on their date." Catherine looked at him with an open mouth. This man was spying on their chargers. Then an idea hit her.

"Want to go and get it?" Catherine smiled at him evilly. Yashiro agreed and they were off to do mischief.

Catherine made Yashiro sit in the car while she went in to get the tape. The waiter told her that there was something good on it and she gave him a very large tip before taking the tape and heading back out to the car. She found her date sitting in the passenger seat singing the song Catherine had grown up knowing as 'Sukiyaki'. She listened to him whistled the song to the end before she interrupted his thoughts.

"What do you mean you're 'all alone tonight'?" Catherine poked at him as she started the car.

"I just love the tune." Yashiro admitted as he whistled the course again.

"It is a very good song." Catherine listened to him sing it again. When he finished he looked at her.

"You sing something." Catherine shot him an odd look. "I want to hear you sing something." Yashiro had sat up and was leaning over imploring her to sing. Catherine chuckled and cleared her throat.

"Oh Danny Boy, the pipe the pipes are calling." She started into the well know Irish tune in English. Yashiro listen enthralled until she let the last note ring out. He had loved her voice when she spoke Japanese, but this was like angles singing to his ears. The slight Irish accent she slipped into the words made his heart flutter. He did not even notice when she was slightly flat in the high points, or the way her voice would waver a little when she couldn't find the right note. He loved it and begged her for another. She slipped into the haunting tune of 'Scarborough Fair'. He didn't even care when she forgot the words in the middle of the song and slipped into an open mouth hum of the tune. She shook her head when he asked her to sing again.

"You don't want to hear me butcher anymore songs." Catherine blushed as he insisted that she had not hurt the songs. Catherine parked the car at his apartment and refused again. "Which do you want to do, listen to me mangle songs, or would you rather watch this." Catherine held up the tape she had just gotten from restaurant. Yashiro was torn with the decision, he wanted to listen to her some more, but he REALLY wanted to know why the waiter was so excited. He apologized and pointed to the tape. Catherine agreed and gathered up her cake to bring it in from the heat of the summer. Yashiro had sobered up enough to walk himself inside without help.

Yashiro took Catherine's dessert and placed it in the refrigerator while Catherine settled herself on the floor near the table in his living room. To her surprise, Yashiro placed a glass of chilled riesling on the table next to her. Catherine picked up the wine and swirled it in her glass before letting a little of the dessert wine slide across her tongue. Yashiro sat down and placed the tape in the player.

"I did not know you liked wine." Yashiro smiled mischievously at her before turning his attention back to the electronics.

"I figured you would like this while we enjoyed our entertainment." Yashiro settled himself behind the table so he could be closer to the woman touching his heart. He noticed the odd way she had one leg tucked under her while the other was straight out stiffly. "Did you hurt your leg?" Catherine could hear the note of concern in his voice.

"I fell and scuffed up my knee this afternoon, no big deal." Catherine tried to draw him away from the scrap. Having seen what she called 'no big deal' Yashiro moved to her side so he could see the cut. She sat still as he shifted her hem to see the torn skin under her stockings. "See, no big deal." Now that he was sure that she was telling the truth, he was reluctant to move back to his previous position away from her. He had Catherine hand him the remote and his glass before settling in next to the woman to watch the actors' dinner.

They watched the video and sipped on their wine talking about the actors. Catherine felt a little bad about the spying, but she really wanted to know what had excited the waiter. Catherine nearly choked on her wine when Yashiro's fan-girl kicked as he watched Kyoko ask her question of Ren. Yashiro continued to bounce through the rest of the film while Catherine watched with an open mouth.

"HE CONFESSED HE CONFESSED!" Yashiro squealed and bounced on the floor. In his excitement, he turned and threw his arms around Catherine's neck. Being a little drunk, neither of their balance was very good and they fell over and ended with Yashiro on top of Catherine.

Catherine stared up at the man pressing down on her, surprise showing on her face. She had not expected him to launch into her like that. Surprise also showed in his eye as his mind processed what had just happened and the position he found himself in. He studied her smoky blue eyes while she lay on the flood of his living room. Catherine watched the heat rise in his eyes as he slowly leaned forwards and captured her lips in a soft kiss. When she didn't protest, Yashiro deepened the kiss and ran his tongue across her lips so she would open them and let him in. When she parted her lips, he slipped in to devour her and she moaned into his mouth. She was left panting from his voracity, and he only pulled away when the need for air overrode his need for her. Catherine slid her hands up and under his coat as he ran a line of kisses down her neck to her collar bone. Yashiro sat up and tore his coat off and slung it across the room before turning his attention back to the woman underneath his. He kissed the bare skin on her chest as he ran his hand up the outside of her thigh. His fingers stopped when he encountered the strap holding her stockings in place. Catherine knew she was not going home tonight when he flicked the strap lightly and grinned at her.

"I love thigh high stockings."


	56. Chapter 57

Yays two updates in one day! If you read the last chapter, you probably figured out that this one is going to be a little spicy. If not.. here is your warning.

* This chapter contains suggestive material, but nothing explicit. Please read at your own discresion.*

Ok, now that that is taken care of, ENJOY! :)

Note: I do not own Skip Beat!

Catherine woke up when the early morning light sipped into the unfamiliar room. Catherine relaxed on the strange bed as she tried to clear the fuzz from her brain. She was not really a morning person, but the alcohol last night made her groggier than usual. It wasn't until the man behind her rolled over and slipped his arm around her that everything came flooding back. Her heart skipped as he buried his face into the nape of her neck and inhaled deeply before drifting back off to sleep. She did not need to lift the sheets to know that they were less then fully clothed. She turned the events of the night before over in her mind and looked at the alarm clock nearby. Five am was still too early to get up so she snuggled back into the man cuddling her. She could feel the moan of pleasure that rumbled from his chest as she pressed into him. She closed her eyes and settled back into sleep for a little longer.

Yashiro opened his eyes and studied the face of the woman pillowing her head on his arms. Catherine had rolled over in his arms and had both of her hands pinned against his chest. Yashiro removed his free arm from the woman's side and brushed the loose strands of hair from her face. The soft touch on her cheek disturbed her dream and her eyes fluttered open as she drew in a deep breathe that was not quite a yawn.

"Good morning beautify." Yashiro whispered to the girl. Catherine let out a contented sound and wiggled a little closer to the man wrapped around her. Her movement caused their legs to rub together where they were still tangled. He could feel his desire for her rising again and he wrapped his arms around her again and pulled her even closer.

"I see you're glad to see me." Catherine giggled as she teased him.

"Definitely." Yashiro answered before he pressed his lips to hers, rolled her to her back and showed her how 'glad' he really was.

Yashiro laid back on the mattress and tried to catch his breath. He wiped the light sheen of sweat off his forehead and fanned himself trying to cool off from his activities. His attention returned to the girl by his side when a termer ran her body. Yashiro reveled in the thought that he had left her twitching as he moved to place a light kiss on her lips again. He pulled back to be met with a soft distant look in her eyes as the endorphins addled her mind a little. This just served to stir his desire again, but he pushed it down. He had arranged for Ren to have most of the morning off, but time was getting on and he knew they needed to get up. Yashiro rolled over and picked up the brown yukata that he use as a robe and draped it over the girl and kissed her lightly again.

"Go on and take a shower first." Yashiro nodded towards the bathroom before lifting himself from the bed and getting a second yukata out for himself. "I'll start getting things ready for the day." Yashiro paused in his movements just long enough to watch the girl sit up and slip into his new favorite yukata. He sighed and left the room. He was never going to be able to look at that article of clothing the same way again.

Yashiro walked into the living room to check out the carnage that their night had left. They had forgotten everything else after Yashiro had fallen on top of his guest. He took a deep breath, picked up his glasses from the table, and started to clear away the mess. He turned off the television and took the wine glasses to the kitchen before returning to gather the articles of clothing strung around the room. He folded each piece gently until he came to the dress he had taken off Catherine. He collected it up and pressed it to his face to breathe in the soft scent of the roses and jasmine lingering on the material. He let out a deep sigh and laid the dress out to fold it up. As he matched up the front edges, he notices a few of the little pearl buttons were missing. A slight hint of red crept into the man's face as he remembered the heavy handed way he had removed the dress. A quick search located the wayward buttons and he secured them in a plastic bag so they would not get lost again.

Yashiro took the pile of Catherine's clothing into the bedroom and set them on the bed. He paused just long enough to listen to her in the shower before he started scrounging in the bottom of his closet. He came out with a pair of his old jeans that were just a little too tight, but he had not wanted to get rid of. He unfolded and looked at denim. Happy that they should work, he folded them back and added a soft gray t-shirt, a clean towel, and a new toothbrush to them. He took the pile of clean clothing and set the pile of yesterday's clothing on top before he tapped on the bathroom door and opened it up.

"I have a towel and some clothing for you." Yashiro separated the two piles out and sat them on the counter. He also placed the pieces of Catherine's jewelry that he found in the living room on top of the bag of buttons. "I'm going to set the clothing on the counter and the towel on the toilet." Catherine called a thank you to him and Yashiro slipped out of the bathroom while he could still resist the urge to climb in the shower with her.

Catherine sat up and slipped into the yukata that Yashiro had offered her. She sat still for a few more minutes until she was sure that her legs would hold her. She kept having little spasms that ran the nerves in her legs. Once she was sure she could stand without falling, she pushed herself up and found her way to the bathroom for a quick hot shower. She was thinking about her situation when she heard Yashiro knock on the door and let himself into the bathroom. Her heart jumped a little as he entered. She was almost certain that he was going to come join her when she heard his voice ring out over the running water. A light pang of regret passed through her when she realized she was wrong and he left. She shook herself before killing the hot water. She stood in the rapidly cooling water to chill her head.

Catherine shut the water off before she froze and wrapped herself in the fluffy towel that her host had left for her. She chuckled as she saw the two piles of clothing set out for her. She picked up the little bag of buttons before deciding to go with the stack of his clothing. She picked out a few things she needed from her original clothing before slipping into the pants offered to her. They were just a little big, but rode nicely on her hip bones without a belt. She buried her face in the shirt and breathed in the warm scent that she had come to recognize as Yashiro before pulling the soft fabric over her head. After she was done using the new toothbrush, she considered adding it to her pile of clothing to take with her, but decided to drop it in the cup with his. She had a sneaking suspicion that this would not be the last morning that she would use his bathroom. After replacing her jewelry, she gathered her clothing and the borrowed yukata and went to find her host.

Catherine folded the yukata and laid it across the foot of the bed. She considered making it for a moment, but realized that he was REALLY going to have to change the sheets, so she left it in disarray. She dropped her stack of clothing on the table and slipped into the kitchen to find Yashiro flipping the last of the fried eggs onto olive green plated.

Yashiro turned the fire off and plopped the eggs onto the plate for breakfast. His breathe caught as a pair of warm hands slid from his spine, around his sides, and came to rest on his chest. A shiver of pleasure ran his frame as the girl the hands were attached too pressed into his back and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"Thank you." Her words vibrated through her chest and penetrated him to the core. He dropped his free hand to where hers arms crossed and pinned them there for a moment. He just wanted to feel her pressed into him again. After a few seconds, he released her and turned to face her. Catherine stepped back so he could have some space to maneuver. Yashiro ran his eyes up and down the object of his affection standing before him in his clothing.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" Yashiro penetrated the girl with his eyes.

"Yes you have." Catherine blushed lightly from the intensity of his gaze.

"Have I told you that I love you?" Catherine's heart flopped in her chest.

"No you have not." She swallowed her nervousness. After last night, she was sure if his feelings, but to be shown it and to be told it are two different things. Yashiro took her fingers in both of his hands and raised them up to his chest and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I love you." His words were almost a whisper as he raised her hands together to his lips and place a kiss on them. Catherine nearly fainted from the overwhelming emotion held in those words. Catherine separated his hands and stepped into the circled of his arm to kiss the man soundly. When they separated for air, Catherine looked into his eyes again.

"If you don't go get a shower, we are never going to get out of here today." Yashiro chucked at his love and kissed her softly once more before releasing her to go face the hot water that he was sure would make the nail marks on his back sting.

Catherine pulled up in front of Ren's building to drop Yashiro off. To both of their surprise, they actually made it out of Yashiro's apartment with just enough time to get to work without giving their charges cause to worry. Yashiro gathered his things and leaned over to kiss the driver goodbye.

"I'll give you a call as soon as I get my damaged phone replaced." Yashiro sighed as Kyoko chuckled at the boy's plight. Yashiro opened the door and started to get out, but was stopped when Catherine placed her hand on his shoulder. She leaned over and placed a light kiss on his check and smiled at him.

"By the way, I love you too." She whispered to him and pushed him the rest of the way out of the car. Yashiro stood in amazement as Catherine waved good bye, shut the door, and drove off.

Far above, Ren looked up from his coffee as he though he heard excited cheering from the street.

Kyoko studied Catherine as she hummed a familiar tune and drove to the studio. There was something off about her manager. She was happy, but she had been in a very good mood for a while now, so that was not it. Kyoko wondered if it was the t-shirt that the woman was wearing, she usually wore a tank top under her coat. It did not look quite right with the earrings the woman was wearing either. Kyoko had also noticed that the pants were hemmed a little long for her shoes. Catherine could feel the girl's eyes on her as Kyoko tried to figure how Catherine was different today. Catherine glanced at her and Kyoko realized that Catherine was not wearing makeup today either.

"How was your date?" Catherine dropped the question on the girl so that she would stop scrutinizing her. Kyoko blushed and muttered something. "Come again. I didn't hear that." Kyoko blushed harder and took a deep breather before repeating herself.

"I asked him that question." Kyoko hung her head as if she had done something shameful. Catherine would have known what question it was even if she had not watched the video.

"And?" Catherine prompted the girl to go on.

"He told me he ..lo..v..ed me." Kyoko tried to hide in her seat.

"Fantastic!" Catherine cheered. "It's about time the boy manned up." Kyoko stared at her manager in horror.

"How did you know he liked me?" Kyoko could not believe it.

"It was obvious that he liked you to anyone watching." Catherine told Kyoko the truth. Kyoko stared at her with an open mouth. "The only way that it would have been more obvious to the casual observer is if Yashiro had actually gotten those neon signs he had been looking into." Kyoko's horror grew more.

"Yashiro-san knows!" The teen almost squeaked.

"Darling, Yashiro probably knew before Ren did." Catherine chuckled to herself. "That man pays amazing attention to detail." Kyoko was so caught up in her own thoughts that she missed the shiver that ran Catherine's body as she thought of Ren's manager.

Yashiro knocked on Ren's door before letting himself in. The manager had walked up the steps to give himself time to calm down so that he would not give anything away to his charge. Ren looked up at the man from his seat on the sofa where he was reading his script and drinking his morning coffee. Ren noticed that his manager had a lighter step than normal.

"How was your night?" Ren asked as he stood up and cleared his things away so they could leave.

"It was good." Yashiro kept his answer vague. "How was yours?" Ren could hear the fan-girl bubbling under the surface.

"It was productive." Yashiro bounced at his words.

"And?" He prompted, Ren sighed. He could tell that Yashiro already knew what happened, but he was not sure how the information had gotten out.

"I told her." Yashiro let out a squeal that would have woken the neighbors if the apartment wasn't soundproof.

"AND!" Yashiro wanted all of the juicy detail. Ren smiled.

"She promised to call me by my name." Yashiro was dumbfounded that this was as far as the actor had gotten.

"You didn't kiss her?" Disappointment filled the manager's voice.

"No." Ren sighed and looked at his manager. "But it looks like you did."

"What?" Yashiro looked at his charge confused. Ren pointed to a spot on his neck.

"You have something right there." Yashiro excused himself to the bathroom and let out an odd squeak. Right at the base of his neck, just above his shirt line was a dark purple mark leftover from last night. Yashiro cursed himself for not noticing it earlier. Yashiro rejoined his snickering charge in the living room.

"And what do you have to say for yourself?" Ren couldn't keep a straight face as he teased his manager. Yashiro shot him a very serious face before grinning like a fool.

"That woman has sharp nails."

Authors note: I couldn't just toss them in bed without an aftermath. This was so much fun to write. I hope you all liked it!


	57. Chapter 58

Here is the next section. I hope it meets with your approval.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Kyoko let out a long breathe as she let her character slip away. It had been another great take and she was ready to relax for a little bit before they switched locations. It had been a week since the date that had changed her world. She had not had the opportunity to see Ren in person, but he had called her every night when he got home to tell her that he loved her. She couldn't quite bring herself to use those words, but she was starting to believe that she was capable of those feelings again. Kyoko had called Kanae the next day to inform her of the change. To her surprise, Kanae had congratulated her and commented that it was about time Ren did the right thing. Catherine's words kept turning over in her head. Was his feeling really that apparent?

"Kyoko-chan." Catherine called to her charge. "If we don't hurry, we will not be able to meet up with Yashiro and Tsuruga-san for dinner." Kyoko hurried to get ready. The director had called for a dinner break so they could all get food before they got to the next filming location. Kyoko considered her manager as she gathered her bag up. Kyoko had noticed that she had dropped the honorifics from Yashiro-san name, but she did not know what it meant. Did she not respect him anymore, or had something happened on their date? Kyoko had asked, but Catherine just smiled and said she that they had Italian and she had a good time. It was a very vague description of the date. When Kyoko asked what they did that was fun, Catherine considered the question and answered that they sang. This confused Kyoko even more so she let the topic go.

Kyoko followed Catherine out of the studio and into the lobby where the woman stopped to look over her charge. The location they were going to have dinner was not far from here and they had decided to walk. Kyoko realized that she was very recognizable in Natsu's costume. She had some problems with fans the last time they had walked to the location. Catherine pulled off her coat and held it out for the actress to put on.

"I know it's heavy, but it will cover your outfit well." Catherine and Kyoko had discussed this the last time Catherine tried to hid Kyoko in the coat. "Anyway, the temperature is cooling off now." That had been Kyoko's second complaint. She did not want to wear a long coat in the middle of summer, but the days were starting to shorten and the nights were starting to cool off a little so Kyoko reluctantly agreed and slipped into the monster coat.

Catherine stopped to pick up milkshakes as an apology for forcing Kyoko into the disguise and the two girls chatted lightly about the evening shoot. Natsu was going to have a confrontation in the darkened park with the main character when they got back from dinner. They had just passed a set of steps leading to the empty street below when Catherine called Kyoko's attention to a drink machine that had one of her favorite teas in it. Excited by the rare find, Catherine passed her milkshake to Kyoko and went to get some of the tea to go with dinner.

Catherine's attention was pulled away from the vending machine when a series of loud pops sounded out near her. She twisted around to see Kyoko falling to the ground and heard the loud scream coming from the park. Catherine turned to see Ren and Yashiro pounding towards the fallen actress. Her eyes then flashed back to the direction she had heard the shots ring out to see the gunman running for the stairs leading to the ground.

Catherine left the fallen actress to the actor and tore after the fleeing man. When Yashiro saw her quick movement, he altered his course to help intercept the attacker. The man had a decent lead on them as Catherine reached the top of the steps. He was already on the lower roadway and heading down the street. Yashiro screamed in horror as Catherine did not even slow when she hit the top of the steps and leap the wall to the sidewalk twenty feet below.

Catherine knew she was going too fast when the rough pavement tore the skin on her shoulder open as she hit the ground and tucked up to rolled the extra energy out. Ignoring the pain, she came to her feet and continued after her perpetrator. Yashiro screamed her name when he reached the top of the steps before racing down them as fast as he could go. The gunman turned at the sound and fired a quick shot at the woman chasing him. The bullet seared its way across the skin of Catherine's upper arm as the shot went just wide of the intended target. The gun jammed when the man tried for another shot as Catherine closed on him. A car screeched up next to them and the man bolted for the open door just as Catherine was about to grab him. Catherine could feel the material of his shirt with the tips of her fingers as the criminal launched himself into the back seat of the car and the driver stomped on the gas. Catherine slammed her fist into the back quarter panel of the car cussing at her continuing bad luck. She screamed her rage in the street as the car drove away. She was not even fast enough to get the license plate number.

Catherine turned on her heels and rocketed back the way she came. She could do no more good here and Kyoko needed help. Yashiro had just reached the bottom of the steps as she bolted past grabbing his hand. Her momentum spun the man around as she dragged him back up the steps to where the injured actress had fallen. Yashiro froze when they topped the steps, but Catherine never slowed in her quest.

Ren and Yashiro chatted as they walked through the pleasant evening air. They had both been looking forward to having dinner with the girls that they had not seen in a week. From the conversations they had every night, Ren knew that Kyoko was starting to adjust to his feelings, but he was looking forward to the opportunity to see how she took his affections first hand now. As he rounded the corner in the path, his eyes met with the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Even though Catherine had buried the girl in that long coat, he would always be able to tell who Kyoko was when she was not in a character.

"I think we are right on time." Ren pulled his managers attention from the planer he was looking in and pointed to the girls walking on the adjacent path. Yashiro looked up and sighed when his eyes landed on the girl he had been looking forwards to seeing. A laugh slipped from him as Catherine bounced over to a vending machine, but his joy died when several loud pops accosted his hears.

"KYOKO!" Ren screamed as he watched the young girl jerk as the bullets slammed into her back. His world turned upside-down as the young woman fell forward on to the pavement. His mind was so involved with getting to the dying woman, that he did not register Catherine's pursuit of the criminal, or Yashiro's departure from his side. Yashiro's voice screaming for Catherine just barely registered as he threw himself to the ground next to his motionless love. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the dark liquid oozing from underneath her.

"Kyoko." Ren whispered her name. With trembling hands, he reached down and slowly rolled the unresponsive girl over. Tears filled his eyes as he took in the larger amounts of the dark fluid covering her shirt. Unable to take it, Ren pulled Kyoko's lifeless body against him before he sat back so she was cradled against his body and cried. His mind was too far gone to notice Catherine's approach and he refused to give up his love to the gentle hands that were trying to extract her. It was the use of his real name and the sharp slap across his cheek that cut through his despair and brought him back to the real world.


	58. Chapter 59

See I did not leave you hanging for long. Here is the next chapter.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

"KUON!" Catherine yelled at the distressed actor as she struck him as hard as she could across the face. The actor's eyes focused on her. Now that she had the man's attention, she needed to work fast. "Turn. Her. Loose." Ren loosened his grip on his love and Catherine removed the girl from his hands to place her on the ground. Ren sat in shock as he watched Catherine check the dead girl's vitals before leaning over and kissing her. A spark of hope cut through his anguish as he watched the woman kiss her again and then moved her hands to press on the girl's chest. His mind whirled until the neurons fired correctly and he realized Catherine was giving his love CPR. It was on the second set of breathes that his world flipped back over when Kyoko coughed and Catherine lightly tapped the girl's cheek.

"Come on honey, wake up Kyoko." Catherine coaxed the girl back to consciousness. Catherine could feel the emotions rolling off the actor as he watched the manager help the young woman to sit up. "We need to take this off so I can check your back." Ren watched as Catherine carefully removed the trench coat from his love. His mind spun on how they young woman could have survived the gunshot wounds to her back. He trembled with desire to take up the love that he was sure he had lost, but was afraid that he would break the spell and find that she was still dead in his arms if he touched her. Catherine carefully removed the heavy coat outer coat before buttoning the school jacket from Kyoko's costume. Catherine cussed as she slipped off the jacket to see a spot of blood on the back of the white shirt.

"I am going to have to take your shirt off so I can check on the bleeding." Catherine spoke gently to the girl. She held the girl's school jacked up so that Kyoko could cover herself as Catherine's hands worked gently to remove the dress shirt. Catherine let out a sigh of relief when she pulled the shirt away and saw it was just a crack in the skin and not an actual gunshot wound. "Give me your handkerchief." Catherine held her hand out to the actor still frozen on the ground. When he did not move, she shook her hand and called his name. "Ren! Now!" This spurred the actor into motion and he pulled out a linin cloth and placed it into Catherine's hand. Catherine placed the material over the cut as Kyoko hissed in pain. "It's ok," she reassured the girl. Catherine reached out and took Ren's outstretched hand and placed it on top of the makeshift bandage. "Hold this in place." The feel of the warm skin of his love finally broke the spell that had settled over Ren and he gathered the injured woman up in his arms and held her against him. The tears that had filled his eyes fell as tears of joy as he rocked the girl in his lap, more for his comfort than hers. Unable to process what just happened, Kyoko buried her face into Ren's chest and cried her fears into his expensive shirt.

Catherine moved back a little from the terrified couple and plopped her butt onto the ground. With her knees bent up in front of her, she placed her hands on the ground behind her and leaned back against them before tilting her head back. The relief washed the adrenalin from her bloodstream as her emotions ran from the corners of her eyes. She nearly passed out when she heard the distant sirens of the emergency vehicle's Yashiro had called from the top of the steps. She hissed in pain as a gentle hand placed something firmly over the bleeding line where the bullet had grazed her arm. Catherine opened her tear-filled eyes to the man tending her wound. He sat on the ground behind her and petted her hair out of her face. She smiled up at the concern that filled his eyes and nodded to let him know that she was alright. Yashiro surveyed the situation. He noted that his love was truly grace under fire before turning his mind to Kyoko. He took in the cuddling actors, Kyoko's savior, and the black coat discarded on the ground.

"How?" He turned his question to Catherine. When he had seen the dark liquid on the ground, he was sure that the young girl would not survive. He had turned away from the scene to call the police as soon as he could fumble in to his gloves. He was able to give the police their location and that they needed an ambulance, but not much more. He had missed Catherine slapping the actor and managed to get over to them as Catherine breathed life into the girl again. Catherine looked up at him again as she processed his question.

"Kevlar." Confusion crossed Yashiro's face at Catherine's words. "There is a sheet of Kevlar sewn in the back of my coat." Enlightenment dawned on Yashiro's face as his eyes fell back to the black coat. It shifted back to confusion as he remembered something from his past.

"It can't be. Kevlar is much thicker and heavier than that." Yashiro tried to convert the heavy Kevlar vest that Ren had once used in a drama to the size of the coat Catherine wore. Yes, the thing was unusually heavy, but it was not that heavy.

"Magic Kevlar?" Catherine grinned up at him. Yashiro gave her a 'be serious' look and Catherine sighed. Yashiro reluctantly let his hand drop away from his handkerchief as she sat up and placed her hand over the cloth to hold it in place. Crossing her legs, Catherine turned so she could better explain things to her audience.

"I have a bother-in-law that works in research and development for a company out in California. They work on things for military applications. They have come up with a way to coat Kevlar strands in a non-Newtonian fluid made from silica dissolved in a polyethylene glycol gel." She knew she had lost him when Yashiro stared at her like a monkey doing a math problem, so she simplified it. "Magic Kevlar. It's lighter than standard Kevlar." Some of the confusion cleared from his face as he thought about it.

"Non-Newtonian fluid?" Yashiro puzzled at the English word.

"When this is said and done, I'll make you some oobleck to explain it." Catherine sighed. Yashiro nodded wondering what oobleck was and turned his mind back to the coat. They could hear the sirens getting closer.

"If it's better, why have I not heard about it?" Yashiro could still not wrap his mind around the coat that saved Kyoko's life.

"It's not better." Catherine explained. "Yes the material is lighter, but it does not have the same stopping power as regular Kevlar does. It's still in the developmental phase. This was a piece from a test batch that 'came up missing'." Catherine did the air quotes thing around the shady words.

"Came up missing?" Yashiro raised an eyebrow.

"My brother-in-law thought it would serve me better than being stuck in a storage room." Catherine chuckled. "He will be happy to know that it worked out." Yashiro gave the woman a very complicated look as he pondered the girl. "Why else would I wear around that blasted thing in the heat of the summer?" Catherine laughed at him "It sure wasn't for style." This brought a smile to the man's face.

The police officer topped the steps to see the four people resting on the ground. This area wasn't heavily traveled at this time of day, so they had not drawn a crowd yet. His eyes hit the dark liquid between the couples and he radioed down for the EMT, as he rushed over to see how many were injured. Yashiro stood to greet the man and let him know that everyone was mostly ok. The officer's eyes dropped skeptically to the pool of liquid on the pavement. Catherine noticed his attention and picked up one of the flatten cups for the office to see.

"Black raspberry chocolate chip milkshakes." She informed him. Yashiro snickered, he had been so absorbed in Catherine's explanation of how the bullets were stopped that he had completely forgotten to ask about the pool of 'blood' on the sidewalk.

Catherine was surprised when the EMTs converged on her before looking to the woman that was hidden in Ren's arms. Her bloodied state hadn't even occurred to her until they dropped to the ground next to her. She tried to wave them off in favor of the more injured woman, but the two men separated so that both girls would have the care they needed. It took the second EMT several tries to separate Ren from the girl in his arms. He was unwilling to relinquish her completely and insisted on holding her hand as they looked her over and decided that she needed to go to the hospital for a more detailed checkup. The first EMT cleaned and dressed Catherine's more superficial wounds.

"Go with her to the hospital, Ren." Yashiro instructed his charger. "I will take care of thing here." Ren did not need to be told twice as he carried Kyoko down the steps to the waiting ambulance. The EMT had taped a bandage over the lightly bleeding cut so she could put her shirt back on. Catherine answered the police officers questions while Yashiro went to find the satchel he had dropped in his flight. Catherine emptied the pockets of her coat so that the office could load the damaged article up in an evidence bag. She only relinquished it when he promised that she could have it back after forensics had removed the bullets from the material. Yashiro laughed at the growing pile of random bits that Catherine pulled from the pockets of the coat. It was amazing that that coat wasn't heavier than it was. He dropped his bag on the ground next to her so she could load her stuff into it. She smiled up at him from where she was sitting and filed the things away in his satchel.

Yashiro spent the next twenty minutes apologizing and explaining to the photographer why his charge would not be there for the photo shoot. Luckily, Jereth remembered how the model acted the last time this particular young woman had a close brush with death and was glad to reschedule the shoot for later. The bespectacled man walked with Catherine back to where the crew was setting up the shoot and found the director. Catherine bowed deeply to him and apologized profusely as she explained what happened to his actress and informed him that she was not going to be here for the scene. After Catherine reassured him that Kyoko was ok, he left the bandaged and blooded woman in her companion's care and went to inform the cast and crew of the development so they could clear the site for the evening.

Yashiro slid his arm around Catherine's waist as she stumbled on the pathway back to her car. The adrenalin had cleared her system leaving her somewhat weak and trembling. She was having a little trouble walking because her legs ached from her flight and she had shattered both of the caps on the heels of her shoes when she had landed on the concrete. She leaned into the man stabilizing her and rested her head on his shoulder as he guided her toward the studio parking lot.

"Thank you." Her soft voice made him smile. He placed a light kiss on the top of her head and sighed his contentment at being able to touch the strong willed woman. They walked a little bit farther before Yashiro couldn't stand the question spinning in him mind anymore.

"What's oobleck?" Catherine giggled at him. Of all the things he could be thinking of, that was the last she had suspected.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>: See, there was no way I could kill off the main character of the manga, I'm not that evil. :)

I would like to that Hank from the SicShow on youtube for the great information on Non-Newtonian fluids and their possible use with Kevlar. Go check out his stuff, it makes science easy to understand. For those that can't get it or don't want to, here is some explanation of the science in this chapter.

Non-Newtonian fluids are fluids that do not act as you would expect a liquid to when struck. When hit with force the partials in a Non-Newtonian fluid clump together and make the liquid hard for a moment, so that whatever hit it will bounce off. Once the force of the impact has been repelled, the partial separate and flow like a liquid should. The most common example of a Non-Newtonian fluid is something known as oobleck. To make oobleck, you take equal parts cornstarch (some places know it as cornflower) and water and mix them together. Now, go have fun making a mess in the name of science!


	59. Chapter 60

It has been brought to my attention that this story strays to far from reality and is not believable. I have tried to base most my information in real world fact, but apparently I have failed badly. I have also been told that it is not a Skip Beat! fanfiction because the story line is not drive by the main characters from the manga. I apologize to anyone that I have offended. I will post this chapter since I have it done, but if I have fallen so short of my mark, how can I go on? I need some vindication to let me know where I stand on this. I turn to the only people that can help.

Should I continue?

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Ren looked at the miracle lying asleep in the hospital bed. His cheek hurt from the bruise forming where Catherine had slapped him, but he was gladly willing to accept the pain in payment for the life the manager had returned to him. Ren had only allowed the girl out of his sight when the doctors insisted that she get an x-ray to make sure that her ribs were not broken. They were worried about the close grouping of bruises right around where her heart was and wanted to make sure there was nothing loose that could injure her more. The doctor suspected that it was the rapid successions of hard hits that had caused the woman's heart to stop, but they wanted to run some more tests to make sure she was no longer in danger. When they had admitted her to the hospital, Ren placed himself in the chair next to her bed and refused to move. She hadn't really spoken since the incident, but he hoped a little sleep would see her right again. Ren held the sleeping woman's hand as he laid his head down on her bedside and cried himself to sleep.

Lory hung the phone up and dropped his head to his desk. He has just finished listening to Catherine explain what had happened to his favorite LoveMe member. He was glad to hear that she was ok and Ren was with her, but he knew he would have to do something more to ensure the woman's safety. He was glad that Catherine took her job seriously enough to have something like that coat in her arsenal. He was amazed when she explained how it had saved Kyoko's life. Catherine had insisted that she call Kuu and inform him of the incident, after all, it was her job to keep the woman from harm's way. Catherine felt that she had failed when she did not catch the gunman. Lory reassured her that she had done a good job and he would help in arranging for Kyoko's continued safety. He also informed her that he would clear Ren's and Kyoko's scheduled for the next two days to give both actors time to recover.

Catherine and Yashiro had stopped by the hospital with dinner for their charges to find that both the actors were sound asleep. Catherine informed the hospital that someone had tried to kill the woman and they promised to keep a security guard near her at all times. Yashiro left a note taped to the bag of food for Ren when he woke up and left the actors without waking them. Catherine was sure that Kyoko would be safe in his care for one night. Whoever was trying to kill the girl would think that six shots to the back would have taken the girl down.

Now that their charges were secured and fed, Catherine looked at the man in her passenger's seat.

"What now?" She asked him. Yashiro considered it for a moment.

"We need to get food too." They had gotten take out for the two actors, but Catherine has passed on it. The after-effects of the adrenalin were still causing her to troubles and her stomach would not hold it at that time. She nodded her agreement. She was starting to feel better.

"Where?" She asked as she started the car. Yashiro took in the bandages and the blood that had soaked into her hair from the shoulder scrapes. She was sure to cause a scene at any restaurant that they visited.

"Let me cook for you." He offered. Catherine gave him a questioning look. "You may not believe it, but I have lived on my own for a while and I do know how to feed myself." You could hear the humor in his voice as he defended himself.

"Do we need to stop and pick up supplies?" Catherine asked as she pulled into traffic.

"No." Yashiro chuckled. "Unlike an actor we know, I do know how to stock a kitchen." Catherine laughed and turned the car towards his home.

Yashiro led the way into his apartment and pulled a pair of house slippers out for his guest. Catherine was grateful to get out of her shoe. The damaged heels were making her more unstable then she liked to be. Yashiro dropped his bag in the living room and, to Catherine's surprise, went straight into the bedroom. He emerged a few moments later with a familiar brown yukata and held it out to his guest.

"Why don't you go wash away that blood while I make dinner?" Yashior held out the cloth for Catherine to take. "I am sure it would make you feel better." Catherine smiled and stepped into the man for a hug. A shower was just the thing that she really wanted right now. Yashiro held on to the clothing as he wrapped his arms around the girl. Catherine rose up and placed a light kiss on his lips.

"Thank you." She whispered as she slipped from his arms and disappeared into the bedroom with the yukata. Yashiro's pulse raced as he watched her retreat. He sighed in content and wallowed in the knowledge that she was safe in his home before turning his attention to the idea of food. He had pulled makings for dinner out before he thought of something and went to tend to his showering guests needs before returning to cook it.

Catherine stood and let the hot water run over her body clearing away the dried blood that had accumulated in her hair. She had not bothered to tie it after she had scrapped her shoulder and it had gotten in the wound. The water stung on the partially head scrapes, but it felt good on the sore muscles she had abused. She heard the bathroom door slide open and Yashiro placed something on the counter before retreating again. She finished cleaning herself and shut the water off to find that he had removed her dirty clothing and left a first aid kit on the countertop. She smiled at his thoughtfulness and bandaged her wounds before securing the yukata around her. She opened the door and was hit with a smell that made her tummy grumble.

Yashiro turned at the sound of soft footsteps to see Catherine walk into the room. He loved the way she looked in the slightly too big yukata with her wet hair hanging down her back. She was squeezing the water from it when he came over and wrapped his arms around the woman again. After another light kiss, the two broke apart and turned to the food Yashiro had dished into plates.

"Where are my clothes?" Catherine asked as she settled herself into the chair.

"I put them in to be washed." Yashiro answered. Catherine thanked him for his kindness and started into her delicious dinner.

When they finished their meal, Catherine retired to the living room as Yashiro cleared the dishes and got out their dessert. When they had gotten back, he had pulled the tiramisu had saved out of the freezer to thaw. He carried the surprise out to his waiting guest to find that Catherine had fallen asleep on the couch. He laughed lightly before returning the treat to its original container and placing it back in the freezer. Catherine only moaned lightly as he lifted her from the couch and placed her in a more comfortable position on his bed. He covered her up and placed a light kiss on the side of her face before heading out to clean up. Catherine wiggled into a more comfortable position and fell into a deeper sleep.

Kyoko woke up several hours later. The pain medication the doctor had given her was starting to wear off and her back ached. She remembered hearing the bang and the initial impact to her back, but was unaware of what happened until she woke up to Catherine patting her face. It had taken the entire time that Catherine was checking her to come up with the fact that someone had just tried to kill her. She was still not sure how she had survived. During her time wrapped in Ren's arms, she had caught the words Kevlar and coat, but she still had not worked out what had happened.

Kyoko looked down at her hand trapped by the sleeping actor. She smiled at the peaceful look on the man's face and ran her fingers through his hair. She recalled the way he had cried and rocked her on the street before she carefully leaned down and placed a kiss on his face. She blushed lightly when she pulled back to find that his eyes were open and looking up at her. Ren sat up and stretched out the sleep from his stiff muscles.

"How are you feeling?" He asked the reddened girl. Kyoko looked away from his in embarrassment.

"My back hurt." She admitted. Ren smiled at the sound of her voice, he was glad she had found it again after her ordeal.

"You have a nasty bruise, but nothing is broken." Ren rose from the chair and sat on the edge of the bed closer to the girl. "I am just happy that you are safe." Kyoko did not resist him as he pulled her into his arms and held her gently. Ren sighed as Kyoko wrapped her arms around the man and took comfort in his presence. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat for a few minutes till he pulled back from her. He looked down into her golden orbs and spoke his mind. "I love you." When Kyoko did not cringe away from his words, he slowly leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Kyoko's heart fluttered as Ren lips touched hers. In way of kisses, this one was short and sweet, but it made her head spin. It was absolutely nothing like the last kiss she had forced on her. When Ren started to pull away, Kyoko's heart cried in protest and the girl shifted forwards to recapture his lips. She felt Ren smile against her mouth and deepen the renewed kiss. Kyoko felt the man's large hand slide into her hair as she tilted her head back and her lips parted slightly. Ren took this opportunity to add a little more passion into the kiss as he slid into her mouth. The two worked each other fervently until the need for air drove them apart. Ren placed a quick light kiss to her lips again before pressing her head to his chest and curling over her.

Kyoko closed her eyes to listen to her love breathe and enjoyed his warmth as Ren rested his cheek on the top of her head. As time drew on Kyoko grew uncomfortable and shifted in his arms. Ren pulled back and placed a light kiss on the top of her head. As he pulled back, he placed his hand on her check to raise her redden face to look at him.

"I love you." Ren shifted his gaze from one of her eyes to the other gauging how much more she could take. Seeing she was almost at the limit of affection she could handle, Ren placed one more very light kiss on her lips before backing up and giving her space. He wanted to hold her for the rest of the night, but she was not ready for that yet. He was happy that she had been able to let him hold her for as long as she had.

Kyoko's mind spun as she looked around for something to concentrate on other than the man that had just left her arms. Her eyes fell on a plastic bag containing two Styrofoam containers sitting on the table next to her bedside. She shifted forwards to get the note attached and cringed as her abused muscles complained about the movement. Drawing the note back she flipped it open and chuckled at the three inch tall English word written inside. She flipped the note open to her companion and Ren laughed as he read the word 'EAT' in Catherine's handwriting. Ren retrieved the boxes and opened them to find two orders of hamburger steak and eggs inside. He smiled at the female manager's thoughtfulness as he handed one of the packages to Kyoko. He knew there was no way the young woman would let him get away without food, no matter how late at night it was.


	60. Chapter 61

I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement. It is amazing how fragile ones self-esteem can be when hit with a hammer cloaked in 'constructive criticism' like that. Since this was the first thing I have ever written outside of term papers, I was relying on public opinion to tell me how I was doing. I was very distraught at being blasted out of the water like that, and I had lost sight of all the good things that had been said about this story. My mother helped me to gather the pieces back up, but it was your support that supplied the glue to put it back together. I promise not to let anything like this bother me again and to finish this story for all of those that have shown a continuing interests in it. Thank you. I am very grateful to all of you. And as always, if there is something wrong, please let me know so that I can fix it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Yashiro looked at the unruffled woman bowing deeply to man with the large knife. He had definitely decided that she was the textbook definition of grace under fire. He had woken this morning from a short but restful night when the woman had slipped from his arms. She had tried to be quiet, but the sudden lack of comforting warmth had pulled him from sleep. He laid in bed and listened to the soft dulcet tones of her English words describing to the mega start in California exactly what had happened to his adopted 'son' over the course of her employment. He found himself slightly annoyed that she had not mentioned a single drop of her blood spilt as she apologized to Kuu for the harm that had befallen the girl. He was surprised that she went into a detailed description of the Kyoko's relationship that was almost as long as Ren's painfully slow courtship of the young girl. After bringing her employer up to date, she assured him that it would not happen again and let the actor go. He watched her through cracked eyes as she came back into the bedroom and stared down at him pretending to sleep. She debated for a long time if she should join him again or get on with the day, but it was the soft touch of his hand as she turned to leave that drew her back for a few more hours of sleep in his arms.

Now Catherine stood before Kyoko's land lords and apologized to them for her failings. She remained bent at the waist as the silent man laid down his knife and stepped out from behind his counter. The Taishou placed a larger hand on the woman's uninjured shoulder and raised her up to look at him. She held her ground as he sifted his gaze from one eye to the other and back. Yashiro watched him forgive the hard working manager with a pat on the shoulder and a nod before returning to his work. Catherine bowed her gratefulness to him before following the Okami up to find Kyoko some clean clothing. Yashiro placed himself on a stool to wait for the woman's return when his attention was drawn by a click from the counter next to him. His eyes swung around to take in the cup of miso soup that the Taishou had placed next to him. The two men locked eyes as the stoic man gauged the younger man's worth. Yashiro held his ground until the Taishou turned to look at the stairwell leading to the residential part of his home.

"Take care of her." The older man's quite words spoke volumes to Yashiro as the bespectacled man agreed and accepted the offered cup.

After a quick stop at Ren's apartment for some supplies for Ren, the two managers made their way to the hospital to check their charges. Yashiro was happy to see that the young actress was awake and chatting with the tall man next to her. His eyes were drawn to the bed where Ren still held the young woman's fingers intertwined with him. He had somehow suppressed the giddiness of his fan-girl, but just couldn't keep the smirk from his face. Catherine came to Kyoko's bed side and bowed deeply to the young actress.

"I am so sorry Mogami-san." Kyoko went ridged at Catherine's sudden formality. "Please forgive me." Catherine's apology completely blew the young girl's mind. She didn't think that Catherine had done anything wrong. Ren had explained to the young girl that it was Catherine that had saved her life. Kyoko pulled away from Ren's hand to push her manager up.

"Please don't Kat-chan, I don't blame you for this. In fact, I should be thanking you for your quick thinking." Kyoko tried to reassure her manager. Catherine let the girl raise her but still hung her head.

"If I had done my job properly, this would never have happened." Kyoko could see the tears on the corners of Catherine's eyes as the woman blamed herself for not being more vigilant. She had glanced down the steps when they passed, but never saw the man. She still had no idea where he had come from at all. Kyoko took Catherine's hand and squeed it reassuringly.

"Please Catherine, you have already done so much for me. Thanks you." Kyoko's forgiveness was more emotion then Catherine's battered heart could handle and the two men found something else to interest them as the strong-willed woman fell to Kyoko and cried out her anguish.

After a few minutes, Catherine collected herself and dried her tears. Now that she had taken care of the past, she turned her attention to things now.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Catherine asked as she settled in the chair on the opposite side of the bed from the tall actor. Kyoko looked at her now calm friend and smiled a little.

"My back hurts when I move, but otherwise I am ok." Catherine nodded to her before bowing her head again with a sniffle.

"I truly am sorry, but I am glad that you are not hurt any worst." Catherine let a hint of a smile creep onto her face. "Thank you for being such an understanding and amazing person." Kyoko blushed at her manager's words. Kyoko grasped around for something to bring the woman out of the depression that had fallen on her, Catherine was not acting right and it bothered Kyoko to see the strong woman so emotionally weak.

"Could you tell me what happened?" Kyoko suggested. She had heard part of it from Ren, but his mind had been addled at the time, so he could not fill in all the blanks. Neither of the actors knew exactly how the girl was saved, so Catherine started plodding the tale that was already ingrained in her soul. This time Yashiro did get indignant with her when she glossed over her pursuit of the perpetrator again.

"Like hell!" Yashiro almost yelled. "You didn't just CHASE after him. You JUMPED off that dammed wall!" Both Ren and Kyoko's eyes grew large at the manager's outburst.

"Jumped?" Ren asked in disbelief. He had carried Kyoko down those steps and knew how far of a fall it would have been.

"Yes, she jumped from the top of the steps to the sidewalk below. How the hell do you think she tore her shoulder up?" Yashiro waved angrily at the woman. He was done standing by and letting her hide the truth. Catherine hung her head and did not defend herself as Yashiro continued. "And she hasn't bother to tell anyone that that bastard shot her either." Catherine raised her hand to cover the bandage on her arm.

"Shot!" This time it was Kyoko's face that showed disbelief as she turned to take in the woman clutching her arm.

"The shot went wide and only grazed my arm." Catherine lost the withdrawn tone that had been in her voice as she picked up more of the spirit that Kyoko was used to.

"But it's still a gunshot wound." Yashiro crossed his arms and huffed at the woman. Catherine was about to fire something back at him when Ren cleared his throat and brought her attention back to the horrified girl in the bed. Kyoko was about to cry.

"Oh Kyoko-chan, it's just a scratch." Catherine reassured her as she pulled off the light bandage so that Kyoko could inspect the burn-like wound that had already scabbed over. "See it's not so bad." When the actress was done looking at the cut, Catherine returned to her story, this time with more life to her voice. Yashiro was happy to see that his outburst had shaken the woman enough for her to return to her normal mentality. Listening to her guilt-ridden voice telling the story had nearly broken his heart. Ren chuckled lightly when Catherine mentioned that she had to 'get his attention' so that he would let Kyoko go. He raised his hand to his cheek and rubbed the sore spot that strike had left, but did not elaborate how she had done so. When she finished her recount, Ren pulled her back to the Kevlar coat with the same observation that Yashiro had made the night before.

Catherine spent the next twenty minutes losing them in science before she made Yashiro hand her the duffle bag they had brought supplies for the actors in. She pulled out a plastic container with a whitish liquid in it. Yashiro had seen her add the item from Ren's kitchen, but thought it was some kind of edible treat. The four friends had a good time playing with the cornstarch and water until the nurse came in and grumped at them for the mess they were making. Catherine apologized to the cross woman as she checked on Kyoko. When she left, the four friends burst into laughing like little kid as they took turns washing the goop away. It was only a short time later when the doctor came back and released Kyoko into Catherine's care. While the actors took turns changing, Catherine called Lory to let him know that they were coming to see him. He agreed that it was time that Kyoko knew the truth about what was going on.


	61. Chapter 62

You've asked for it, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

**Yoshi** I just love this "The big reveal coming up! Who killed the Sho voodoo doll? It was...Bo the Chicken, in the LoveMe room, with Queen Rosa vase! Ren: It's always the Chicken..." I laughed so hard that I spilt my pop all over my laptop.

And now without further ado, the answer to the mystery!

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Lory sat on the edge of his desk and surveyed the four people in his office. He was happy to see that his favorite LoveMe member sat next to the tall actor willing letting him hold her hand, but he was not happy about the circumstances that had brought them together.

"First I would like to say that I am glad that you are ok Kyoko-chan, and to thank Saunders-san for keeping you so." Catherine started to object, but Lory raised his hand and she fell silent again. "If it was not for your forethought and quick thinking, things could have been much worse." Ren squeezed Kyoko's hand and Yashiro patted Catherine on the forearm. "Next, congratulations to all of you." Both couples looked at Lory not grasping what had happened. "When this is over I will throw you both an engagement party." Ren chuckled as Kyoko gasped, and Yashiro sat in stunned silence, but it was Catherine that answered for all of them.

"Sir, I think you are mistaken, no one here is engaged." Lory smiled at Catherine's protest.

"I have faith in you." Lory ignored the shocked expressions and snickers as he turned to collect the real reason that the entertainers had come to him today

"When the rumors started, I got a team of detectives to see if they could find out where they were starting from so we could put a stop to it." Lory turned serious as he changed the topic. "At first we thought it was someone trying to damage your career, but we could not see how, with the types of things they were saying. It only served to aggravate a certain singer's fans." The air around Kyoko grew cold as she thought about the root cause. Lory swallowed and went on. "It wasn't until you were pushed into the street that I realized that we may have a larger problem then we first thought." Lory pulled the official looking document out of his folder and looked at it. "After some in depth research into why someone would want to cause Mogami-san harm, we came across this." Lory handed the paper to Kyoko. She scanned over the document in confusion.

"What is this?" She was unable to make sense of the confusing legal wording. Ren read the paper over her shoulder.

"Is this a life insurance policy?" Ren scanned as much as he could see of it.

"Yes," Lory sighed. "Paid to date." The confusion still showed on Kyoko's face.

"If something should happen to you," Catherine explained, "the beneficiary of the policy will get… how much?" She turned to Lory.

"164 million yen." Lory supplied the number. Kyoko dropped the paper and gasped at the number that topped $2 million. Ren wrapped his arm around the shocked girl. Lory picked up the paper and slid it back into his file. "Right now the policy reads that the money goes to the 'next of kin or estate there of'." Kyoko turned this over in her mind, she could only think of one person that could qualify as 'next of kin'.

"So if I die, my mother gets 164 million yen?" Unease slipped into Kyoko as she started to connect the dots. She knew her mother could not stand her and had abandoned her to the Fuwas, but going as far as to kill her for money was just too much to believe. "There's no way." Kyoko waved the possibly away.

"I didn't think so either." Lory went on. "That is why we did not tell you until now." Lory laid the file back onto the desk. "We were unable to identify the person that threw the brick and the hooded figure could have been anyone that accidently knocked you over. What blew a hole in our idea at first was that accident. The detectives located the car that caused it and found that it had been stolen by some teenagers out for a good time. Unfortunately that was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time." Catherine let out a snort at the irony and shook her head.

"Then there was the snake incident." Lory shook his head. "I was really hoping that the police would come up with something to confirm my theories, but they were unable to find any useful information. Without a sender, I had no way to know if it was just another psychopath trying to injure someone in the limelight, or not." Lory rubbed his head as he felt the tension headache creeping in. "Yesterday's attempt confirmed my fears that someone had designs on Kyoko's life."

"If you thought Kyoko was in danger, why didn't you do something to protect her?" Ren bristled with anger.

"Hello!" Catherine waved at the unthinking actor. "What am I Chop Suey?" Yashiro stifled a laugh at the girl. Lory shook his head.

"Hizuri Kuu sent Saunders-san to keep Mogami-san safe, and she has done an excellent job until now." Ren felt a little shame as Lory pointed out the fact that he had forgotten. Catherine's light hearted ways made it easy to forget that she was security.

"I meant more." Ren blushed as he tried to amend his statement.

"And what would you have liked me to do?" Lory crossed his arms and looked at the actor. "Lock her up?" Ren considered it for a moment. Lory continued as the actor thought. "I believe Kyoko's mother started the rumors in hope that one of the mad fans would take care of the girl for her." Kyoko almost cried at his words, but he continued with his speculation. "Or to hide her attempts on Kyoko's life." This time silent tears did drop from the girl's eyes. Ren held her closer, but there was no way to protect her from the awful truth. Lory hated to do it, but he went on. "With the widespread animosity, it makes it really hard to track down one person out to do harm."

"So what can be done?" Yashiro broke into the conversation.

"Well, at this time, not much." Lory admitted. "As the policy is written now Kyoko is named as owner with her mother as co-owner until she turns 20, so she will be able to change it at that time by herself, otherwise both parties have to be present to change or cancel it, and as long as the payments are made. If something happens to her that cannot be linked back to her mother, she will get the payment in full." Kyoko hiccupped at this news.

"So what do I do now?" Kyoko cried as Ren patted her.

"I have had a team of lawyers working on many angles." Lory started. "They checked into ways to get your guardianship taken away from your mother, but without a recorded history of abuse, there is no case there."

"But she was abused." Ren protested. "She was abandoned by that woman to the Fuwa's Ryokan!"

"I know that." Lory answered. "But they never sent her to an orphanage or applied for custody, so she was not legally abandoned." Ren huffed at the legality of his statement. "And if we push that issue, her mother may just show up and demand that we give her daughter back. Do you want that?" Ren and Kyoko both shook their heads at this suggestion.

"We can't just hide her away till she's twenty. What about her career?" Yashiro leaned forwards to think about the problem. New tears came to Kyoko's eyes as she faced the real possibility of not being able to work till she turned 20.

"There is something that can be done when she reaches 18." Lory looked at his nails before looking up to the hope growing in the talent's eyes. Catherine closed her eyes and hung her head, she knew what the man was going to say, and she expected Kyoko to not take it well.

"What?" Kyoko sat up at attention seeing a possible way out of the situation.

"You can change your 'next of kin'." Lory explained. Yashiro let out a loud squee at the implications those words held. Not understanding Yashiro's joy at this, Kyoko turned back to her boss.

"How does one do that?" She asked.

"You get married." Catherine looked up at the girl and supplied the answer. Kyoko solidified as the full extent of her options pressed down on her. She could either hide until she turned twenty, at which time her career would be ruined, or find someone to marry her.

**Authors Note:** Kudos to **Sumi031885**! You had it right from the start.

To **Lapis-Oblige**. I appreciate that you apologized for the comment that was made and that you wanted to help me grow as a writer, but it you need stop and think about what you said. How can it help me grow? Ok, so the main character is not from the manga, but it's not like she ever does anything without at least one of the manga characters with her. And there are chapters that do not contain her at all. Also to be told that your story peeked at chapter 6 and went downhill from there is devastating. Especially to someone who has never written anything before. I have lost sleep turning the story over in my head and have worked hard to make it as believable as possible. I almost scrapped the whole thing when it was pointed out to me that 20 was legal age in Japan because I could not find a way to get to the end that I needed without throwing this fact out. It really tore me up because I wanted to stay as close to real life as possible. I've tried to add things to the story that support Catherine claims. Is it so hard to believe that someone that knows three navy sailors (two of which are related to her) to not have other military connections? Ok, so I have stretched reality a little, but when have mangas ever followed the strict rules of the real world. Oh and the Kevlar thing, I even went to the trouble to supply facts to back up the story, scientists are working on better and lighter forms of the material. It's just not ready for real world application yet. And guns, it you had waited just a little more, you would have seen that it was not just some random fan trying to hurt her. And even if something is illegal does not mean that you can't get it. I do appreciate constructive criticism, but if you're going to point out a problem with the story, even if it is plot line based, you need to offer suggestions on how it could be better. Please, if you have some suggestions that would be helpful, I would love to hear them. I do read every comment and take my audiences opinions very seriously.


	62. Chapter 63

And what happens when Kyoko is given these hard choices? How about we find out. I hope you enjoy the next installment. Please let me know.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

"But, I can't get m.m…mar..rrried. Who would do such a thing!" Kyoko cried again. Her attention was drawn by a tight squeeze on her hand. She turned to look at the actor wrapped around her.

"I think we have a volunteer!" Catherine laughed at the cute couple. Kyoko had not even considered the man next to her or her growing feelings. Kyoko blanched at this thought.

"I couldn't marry R…ren, it would ruin his image." Kyoko refused the idea. Ren had opened his mouth to squelch her thought, but Catherine beat him to it.

"Kyoko!" Catherine's voice cut through the air like a knife. "Do you love him?" Everyone held their breath as the love-resistant girl stared at her manager with an open mouth. Kyoko floundered for a moment before noise finally made it out of her mouth.

"No.. Yes.." She started, but she did not know what the right answer was. Ren had gone very still next to her. "I DON'T KNOW!" She finally ended in the middle. Catherine stood up and stared intently at the young woman. Kyoko froze under her penetrating gaze.

"Then let's find out. Come with me." Catherine turned and led the way from the seating area. Kyoko released Ren's hand and followed her manager to a quiet corner away from the group. "I want you to ignore the fact that they," Catherine waved at the men watching from the couches, "are here and answer the questions truthfully." Kyoko looked back at her friends one last time before giving her full attention to Catherine. "Ready?" When Kyoko nodded Catherine continued softly so her voice would not reach the other occupants of the room. "Do you think about him when he is not around?" Kyoko glanced back at the actor in question. "No, no. Look at me." Catherine caught her attention again. "Right here." She pointed with two fingers to her eyes. Kyoko locked eyes with Catherine and swallowed before nodding her head. "OK, do you worry about his wellbeing?" Kyoko resisted the urge to look at the man again and nodded her head again. "Good, you're doing fine. Now, if you hear someone call his name, do you turn to look for him even if you know there is no way he could be there?" Catherine's eyes kept switching back and forth studying Kyoko's eyes. Kyoko blushed a little and nodded her head in short jerky nods. She was starting to scare herself, but she knew she could not run away. "Ok, have you ever had a dream about him that made you blush?" The blush that rushed across her face spoke volumes to the answer, but Catherine waited for Kyoko to give her a jerky nod before the manager leaned forwards to whisper the last question in her ear. "Now be honest with yourself, did you regret that it was only a dream?" Kyoko jerked back at the question that burnt across the skin of her ear. She stared into her friend's eyes to find that Catherine had found that open box inside her and dumped the contents out for her to see. To her surprise, a chibi Ren stood up from the pile of things and dusted himself off before trying to climb back into the box. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw what her grudges had tired for so long to hide. "Scary isn't it?" Catherine's warm eyes held comfort in them and Kyoko nodded. "I know how you feel." Kyoko's eyes darted to the men watching them from across the room. The only answer she got from Catherine was a slow calculated blink, but she knew what that answer meant. "Take as long as you need to get use to that idea, because I don't think he's going anywhere." Kyoko licked her dried lips and looked at the three people waiting for her answer.

"Are you sure?" Kyoko's heart had been too damaged to truly trust men at their words again.

"I am sure." Catherine answered. "And if you need reassurance, spend some time looking into his eyes. They are the gateway to the soul and you can learn a lot about yourself and others if you look carefully there." Kyoko turned this over as Catherine led her back to the chairs and placed the girl back down next to the tall actor before returning to her seat. It took her a full minute of gears grinding before she turned to look at the larger version of the chibi that Catherine had pulled from the box.

Ren watched the girl with guarded eyes as Kyoko retook her seat, he could see she needed some time to deal with the mess that Catherine had caused when she knocked the contents out of her inner box. Not only had Catherine shown her the man in her heart, she also saw all of the other things that she had stuck in there out of sight. There were feelings and desires that she could not remember along with precious memories. Things she had known for a long time, but could not bring herself to see. They sat in silence for a few minutes as Kyoko cleared up the mess and Catherine rubbed her head. That little exercise had taken a lot out of the manager too. Kyoko did not realize that Catherine had dumped out her own box when she flipped over the young woman's.

"Do you have your answer?" Lory's words brought his favorite LoveMe member back to the world outside of her mind. Kyoko looked at him and considered her words carefully.

"Yes, I do." Kyoko turned her attention to the stoic man sitting next to her. "If you will have me?"

Kyoko watched as a plethora of emotions ran through Ren's eyes, she did not understand how they all fit together, but she did realize as the Emperor of the Night over took them all. Kyoko was captured in the man's eyes as he sat up and slowly closed the distance between them. She felt the familiar hint of fear rise in her, like he was some large cat and she was just a little mouse with nowhere to go. He took up her hand and held it close to his chest.

"I would be honored to." Kyoko felt the cat's paws close on her and knew she would never be able to get away from him now. Her heart beat franticly as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. She felt like he had just put his seal of ownership on her right there. Ren pulled back leaving the girl trembling.

"Enough of the mushy stuff." Catherine's words broke the spell that had falling over the room. Yashiro and Lory watched the pair with such rapture that it made Catherine question their sanity. Her voice brought them back to real life. "Now that we have that settled, we need to talk about what's going to happen in the few months between now and then." Catherine shot the two men already planning a dirty look. "And I am not talking about what flowers to get." Both men pouted at the wet blanket before turning back to the serious subject of Kyoko's safety.

After a long discussion, it was decided that Kyoko could not stay at a public place like the Darumaya. Kyoko had insisted that the place was safe, but Catherine blew her out of the water when she informed her that someone that would shoot her in Japan would not bat an eye at burning her in her home. Kyoko would be sad to leave the couple, but she huddled in Ren's arms and agreed after some of the things Catherine described that were worse than being burnt alive. What the woman had come up with scared the hell out of the three men, let alone a young innocent girl. Yashiro was surprised at Catherine's vivid imagination. It was also decided that it would be improper for the young woman to take up residence with Ren. He had been very adamant about it, but Lory convinced the actors that it was not a good idea. The main reason was really Ren's protection. If Kyoko's mother got wind that there was something going on between the actors, then the tall man could become a target. It was finally decided that Kyoko and Catherine would move into one of Lory's villas. Her work schedule would be cut to only what they absolutely needed her for and she was not to go anywhere without Catherine with her till this was over. Kyoko had only one question before she agreed to this drastic plan.

"What keeps her from coming after us after we get m..ma..?" Catherine smiled sadly and shook her head at Kyoko's question.

"Truthfully, nothing except the fact that if she kills you both, she will not get a single cent." Catherine admitted. Kyoko gave her confused eyes. "The life insurance would payout to Tsuruga-san's estate and that money would go to his family." Kyoko gave Catherine a slow ah-ha as she processed how this was going to work before the words actually sunk in.

"Wait, Ren has family?"


	63. Chapter 64

For anyone that missed it, I took some advice from **shizuhoe** and changed the location were the girls had their talk. After thinking about it, I do agree that it would be better to have them at least separate from the guys for that part. Thanks for the input. If you don't want to reread the chapter, just know that they walked over to a quiet corner to talk. I did think about having either Yashiro or Lory point out the volunteer, but I figured they were both having fangirl fits so I picked the only other character available.

Now, let's get on with the story.

Oh ya, here is your lime warning. The second half to this chapter is a little suggestive.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Catherine folded the last of Kyoko's clothing and laid it gently in the box before adding a few of the Ren dolls in on top. She had left the injured actress downstairs with the Okami and the Taishou of the Darumaya after explaining to them the girl's delicate situation. They were not happy to hear that she would be unable to stay with them any longer, for they had come to love her like the daughter they never had. The Okami hugged their young boarder and told the actress that she would miss her presence, but it was the Taishou that surprised them all when he sat his work down and pinned Catherine with his eyes.

"If anything happens to her, you will have me to answer to." The serious tone made Catherine stand taller and bow to the man.

"You have my word. As long as I draw breath, no more harm will come to her." Catherine held the bow for a moment more as the man nodded his head and returned to his knives. Kyoko stared at the man that had threatened her manager.

"See, he does like you." The Okami smiled and teased Kyoko before pulling the girl into the kitchen to help with tea. Catherine used this excuse to escape to Kyoko's room to start packing. They needed to move the girl into the safe location as soon as possible. Catherine had just started to fill the third box with unbreakable items that she knew were Kyoko's when the actress came in to help. She was surprised at how fast Catherine had filed her things away for shipping.

"Can I help?" Kyoko asked. Catherine nodded to a smaller empty box and the bubble wrap.

"Anything that is special, wrap in the plastic and place it in that box. We will keep that one in the car so that it is treated carefully." Catherine continued packing. Kyoko nodded and started clearing away her life.

It did not take the two women anytime at all to clear away all traces that Kyoko had lived here. The boxes were stacked and ready to be picked up by the movers tomorrow morning. Kyoko was saddened that everything she owned would fit into six boxes, and most of that was clothing. Catherine took the box of Kyoko personal affects and carried it down to the car while Kyoko said one final goodbye to the couple that had treated her so well. She promised to come visit them when everything was over. Catherine came up and bowed one more time to them.

"Thank you for your understanding in this matter. If something should happen, I will personally come to inform you. If I can't, my boss will. Due to the nature of Kyoko's position, there may be rumors of her wellbeing. I would ask that you only believe what is told to you directly." Catherine pulled out a LME card with Takarada Lory's personal information on it and held it out to the couple. "If you need anything, please contact us." Kyoko watched in amazement as the stoic man took the card from her manager and pocketed it before the girls bowed their goodbyes and left.

"Why did you tell them that?" Kyoko studied her manager as she negotiated the streets of Tokyo.

"So they would not worry if rumors of your death reached them." Catherine explained. Horror tore across Kyoko's face.

"My DEATH!" Kyoko gasped at the thought.

"I am not going to let anything happen to you." Catherine reassured the young girl. "You never know what is going to happen, so I thought I would give them some way to get the reassurance that they need if rumors spread." Kyoko calmed down at Catherine's explanation.

"Now what?" Kyoko asked. After all the arrangements had been made with Lory, Catherine had dropped Ren and Yashiro off to pick up Ren's car with instructions to go home and rest while they picked up Kyoko's things from the 'Box R' set and then packed her out of the Darumaya. Ren had wanted to come help them move, but Catherine was adamantly against it. She was sure that Kyoko would not want him to see all the little versions of him lying around. She settled the debate by agreeing for them to stay at Ren's apartment for the night. Tomorrow they would both be moving into Lory's villa, and the time they would get to spend together would be limited at best.

"Now we pick up food and head over to Ren's apartment." Catherine smile.

"Umm. What about your things?" Kyoko was sure that Catherine would need to pack to go to the villa also.

"I'll worry about that later." Catherine pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store. "Besides, do you want to keep the guys waiting?" Kyoko shook her head and got out to get the supplies they would need for dinner.

Ren smiled when the girls knocked on his door with two big bags of groceries. He opened the door and relieved Kyoko of her parcel and led the way into the kitchen to set the bag on the table.

"Good evening Kyoko-chan, Catherine-san," Ren peeked into the bag too see what the girls had brought. "Did you get everything taken care of?"

"Good evening Ren-san." The tall man's heart skipped with the easy his name had come off the girl's lips. He was now glad that he had made her repeat it so many times. "I have everything packed up for the movers tomorrow." Kyoko pulled the bag away from him and started removing things from it.

"What about you Catherine-san?" Ren turned his attention to the older woman rummaging in the other bag. She made some noncommittal sound as she shifted the contents of her bag. Ren looked back to Kyoko.

"We haven't been over there to pack." Kyoko admitted. Concern filled Ren's eyes, he knew that they would be moving tomorrow morning, and with the girls staying here, she needed to have it packed today. Catherine looked up to meet his face.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Catherine reassured him. "Kyoko-chan, is the whipped cream in that bag. Kyoko looked through the items she had and shook her head.

"No, but I'm sure I got some." Kyoko poked into Catherine's bag to see if the woman had overlooked it.

"Well it's not here." She sighed. "You go ahead and get started on dinner, and I will go get some." Catherine turned from the kitchen into the living room. Yashiro sat on the floor at Ren's coffee table working on his computer. "Hey," Catherine called to him, "I need to run to the store for some whipped cream. Want to come with me?" Yashiro looked up from his document and smiled.

"Sure." He shut the lid of his laptop and dropped his gloves on the table before following her to the doorway.

"We'll be back in a little bit." Catherine called to the couple in the kitchen. Kyoko waved as they passed. Catherine made sure the door was shut behind them and followed Yashiro over to the elevator. As the lift's door slid shut behind them, Catherine pulled out a red and white can and shook it hard before popping the top off it. Yashiro looked at the suspicious item in her hand.

"What is that?" Yashiro asked. Catherine lifted the can up and sprayed the white foam into her mouth.

"Whipped cream." Catherine muttered around the mouthful. She giggled at the look on Yashiro's face.

"But… I…um…." Yashiro pointed back up towards the apartment as he tried to wrap him mind around this. "I thought we were going out to get some."

"We can get some more if you want." Catherine teased. Yashiro's eyes widen at the woman's audacity. She pressed the nozzle just enough for a little to ooze out. She wiped it up with her index finger and sucked it off suggestively. Yashiro's jaw dropped. "Or we can find something else to do." She added more cream to her finger as she swayed closer to him and slipped the cream covered digit into his mouth. He closed his mouth around her finger and she pulled it out slowly as the whipped cream slid across his tongue. His brain did not fire until she licked the traces from the finger she just withdrew from his mouth. Before he knew what he was doing he had her wrapped up and was chasing that last bit of cream into her mouth.

Yashiro tried to calm his heart as he sat on the floor leaning against his couch. He surveyed the wreckage that was his living room in a vain attempt to locate where his glasses had gone as the girl curled against him emptied the last bit of whipped cream from the can. Catherine sat the can down behind her and laid her head down on his chest and rubbed her hand across his stomach. Several things skittered across Yashiro's mind until the image of Catherine with the whipped cream can made something stick.

"Weren't we supposed to bring whipped cream back for dinner?" He petted the girl's side as he spoke. Catherine shrugged.

"I left a can on the chair in the kitchen. They will find it eventually." Yashiro chuckled at the girl's cunning.

"You think we should at least let them know where we are?" Yashiro suggested. Catherine giggled before she pulled away from him to fish her phone from her pants pocket. She leaned back into him and slide her phone open to send a message.

"Naked on Yashiro-san's floor. Not coming back. See you tomorrow." Catherine teases as she typed a message into phone.

"DON'T SEND THAT!" Yashiro grabbed for her phone, but he was not fast enough.

"Too late!" Catherine giggled as she chucked the phone to the far end of the couch. Yashiro lunged for the object knocking Catherine over under him. She laughed at his futile attempt to stop the text.

"You are so going to regret that." Yashiro grinned as he tickled her sides making her screech with laughter.

"YASHIRO STOP" She giggled as she fought to end the torment. Catherine stopped trying to get away from him when Yashiro's hand stilled on her sides. He considered the lovely creature before him.

"Yukihito." The manager said to her. Catherine gave him a considering look. "I want you to use my given name, Yukihito." Catherine smiled up at him.

"Alright Yukihito." Catherine said his name slowly savoring it. A pang of desire shot though the man's body as she hit each syllable just right. As she finished, he leaned down to capture the lips that had formed that sweet word. Somewhere in the night his name was shortened to Yuki in a very loud tone.


	64. Chapter 65

Here is the next installment for your enjoyment.

Thank you **Modoc**. I think you are right, I do feel that my writing has improved as this story has gone on. It really is a great learning process.

**Yoshi**… you have taught me that I have GOT to stop drinking things while reading reviews… I had just taken a drink when I opened that last review and I can now personally tell you that root beer burns when it goes up your sinuses. Please don't stop, that was the best laugh I have had all day.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

Ren listened to the door latch shut as he watched Kyoko finished unpacking her ingredients for dinner. He studied her movements for a while till his eyes caught a hint of red in one of the chairs under the table she was working at.

"What's this?" Ren reached down and pulled the missing whipped cream can from chair and held it up for Kyoko to see.

"I knew I had picked up whipped cream." Kyoko took the can and stuck it with the pile to go into the refrigerator. She thought for a moment. "Could you call Catherine and tell her that we found it?" Ren shook his head; he wanted to have a few more minutes with his love before having to share her attention with his other friends.

"It's only downstairs; they are probably on their way back now anyway." Ren reassured her. Kyoko shrugged and turned her attention back to the food she needed to prepare. Ren watched her work her magic in silence, just enjoying the way she looked in his kitchen. His mind stuck on that. Right now it was his kitchen, but in a short time it would be their kitchen. Kyoko turned at the sounds of a sigh to find Ren leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.

"If you're tired, why don't you go rest in the living room?" Her suggestion brought a chuckle from him.

"I'm not tired." He assured her. "I was just thinking about something." Kyoko looked over at him suspiciously. To her, eyes being closed meant you were sleepy. She turned back to her cooking.

"What were you thinking about?" Ren so wanted to go into everything that he had spent his day turning over, but Yashiro and Catherine had been gone a while, and he expected them to walk through the door at any moment. He pondered what truth to give her that would not lead them into deeper conversation. Unable to pick a good one, he when with what had cause the sigh in the first place.

"The future." Kyoko stilled at his words. She had been thinking about the future since they had left Lory's office. She slowly stirred the pot in front of her so the contents would not burn as she considered what to say to him.

"Ren-san, what's going to happen to us?" Kyoko asked him slowly. Ren pushed away from the wall and walked over to her. Kyoko tensed as he brought his arms down around her from behind and placed a soft kiss on top of her head.

"It will all work out, Kyoko-chan, I promise." Kyoko swallowed hard as she tried to find the right words to express her fears.

"How can you be so sure about it?" Kyoko shifted in his arms. "I mean, we really don't know that much about each other." Ren held her and thought about it for a moment longer. He wanted to tell her everything, but he was afraid that the two managers would walk in on his confession. Catherine already knew about his secret, but he was not ready for Yashiro to know. It wasn't that he did not trust the man to keep silent; he just was not ready to be revealed yet.

"We know lots about each other." Ren started where it was safe. "I know you're from Kyoto and your mother left you at the Fuwa's Ryokan where you grew up with Fuwa Sho." The air chilled a little at the mention of the singer's name, but Ren went on. "I know he broke your heart and you came to be a talent at LME to get revenge on him." Kyoko tensed even more from the hint of anger that colored his words, but Ren went on without pausing. "I believe you have moved on from that goal and now work to make a name for yourself because you enjoy it." Kyoko relaxed a little as the anger drained from his voice. "I know you like hamburger steak and eggs, fairytales, and that you had a fairy prince as a childhood friend." Kyoko blushed lightly at his words, but he did not stop. "I know that you are a good cook that worries about me and takes care of me when you can." Kyoko's blushed deepened. "I know you made me feel happy and alive." Ren turned the reddened girl around in his arms and looked deeply into her golden eyes. "I know that I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." Ren's words brought tears to her eyes as he bent down and placed his lips tenderly on hers. They held the gentle kiss for a long time before Ren pulled away and pressed the girl to his chest. "What more is there to know?" Kyoko's mind whirled as she tried to process his words. She was brought back by the smell of the food on the stove burning. Ren released the girl and stepped back as she scurried to try to save the scorching meal.

"It's ruined!" Kyoko cried in horror. She could not remember the last time that she had burnt food this badly. Ren chuckled from behind her.

"I am sorry." He bowed his head to her. Ren knew that he had been the direct cause for this. "Let me call Yashiro and see if they can pick up something on their way back." Kyoko nodded as she emptied the charred food out into his trash can. Ren slipped into the living room to get his phone. The tall actor was shocked when he saw the time; somehow he had lost two hours to the study of the girl he loved. 'Where could they be?' He dialed his manager and laughed when the man's phone sounded from the table next to his computer. Ren walked back into the kitchen with his phone.

"What did they say?" Kyoko asked as she ran water into the sink and added some soap.

"Yashiro left his phone." Ren chuckled again. He was just about ready to call Catherine when his phone sounded. He read the message from their managers. 'Out of whipped cream. Have a nice night. You can thank me in the morning.' Ren laughed at the message.

"What's funny?" Kyoko turned from her bubbly water to see what the actor had gotten.

"Catherine-san said they were delayed in returning and that we should get food without them." Ren smoothed over the truth. He was not sure what Kyoko would do if she had any idea what their managers were doing.

"Are you sure it will be alright?" Kyoko gave him a very concerned look.

"Oh, I am sure it's alright." Ren tried to keep the amusement out of his voice, but it did not work well. Kyoko shook her head and went back to soaking the burnt off Ren's pot.

"What should we eat?" Kyoko asked.

"There was enough food her for four, what's left?" Ren walked over to the dishes she had laid out on the counter. Kyoko thought about the little food that had not burnt and the rice sitting in the cooker and smiled. It only took her a few minutes to put together a meal for two with what was left.

"Onigiri!" Ren laughed when she presented him with a plate covered in filled rice balls. It was not Kyoko's first choice, but they had good stuff inside, so one night of them would not hurt.

"At least I know you will eat them." Kyoko teased the man with his poor eating habits. Ren smiled as he took one up.

"See. You do know things about me." Kyoko's smile faded away at the actor's words.

"But there is so much about you that I don't know." Kyoko lowered the plate and looked at the rice balls she had made. Ren stepped closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Let's see if we can change that."

Ren took the plate of rice balls and headed into the living room. Kyoko followed behind him with tea and the couple sat down to have a heart to heart talk. He had been preparing his heart to tell her the truth since he confessed to her in the restaurant, and now that Catherine had given him the chance, he was going to do his best to lay himself open for the girl he loved.

"What would you like to know?" Ren took a bite of his onigiri as he waited for Kyoko to decide where to start.

"Tell me about your family." Kyoko started with the thing that made her realize that she knew nothing about him. Ren considered how to tell her before choosing his words carefully.

"Well, I am the only son of an international superstar and a beautiful model." Ren admitted. Kyoko hung on his every word as he explained his parents to her; his father's doting ways and unusual eating habits, his mother's insistence to cook when she really can't, and both of their tendencies to be a little on the extreme side. "And I started acting under the name of Tsuruga Ren so that I could get away from my father's shadow." Ren finished and took a sip of his tea. Kyoko stared at him with an open mouth.

"Your parents sound just like Kuu and Julie Hizuri-san." Kyoko said in amazement. Ren looked at her carefully.

"That's because they are Kuu and Julie Hizuri." Ren held his breath as the shock crossed Kyoko's face. He knew this fact was going to be hard for her, but there was no way around it.

"YOU'RE KUON!" Kyoko nearly screamed at him when it clicked into place. She felt so foolish. She had spent a long time talking with Ren about her time with the famous actor and that she had enjoyed portraying his son while he had been in Japan. She dropped to a dogeze and immediately started begging his forgiveness for her audacity.

"Kyoko, it's all right." Ren raised her up from the floor. Kyoko kept her eyes turned down. Ren placed his hand under her chin and raised her face so she had to meet his eyes. "When I told you that you had done a good job with your interpretation, I meant it." This comforted Kyoko a little and she relaxed a bit.

"But I based his personality off of someone else." Kyoko felt ashamed to have to admit this to him.

"You based it off of Corn didn't you?" The question seemed to shake Kyoko, she was sure that she had not mentioned this to him.

"How.. how did you know that?" Kyoko turned it over in her mind. Ren sighed and stuck his finger into his eye. Kyoko gasped as Ren pulled the first of the brown contacts out of his eye and sat it on the edge of the plate. He pulled the second one out and blinked a few times before turning his startling blue eyes to her.

"Because I remember meeting a little girl by a creek in Kyoto whey I was visiting with my father." Tears welled up in Kyoko's eyes, but Ren pushed on. "I was ten years old and ran off into the woods to get away for a while. She mispronounced my name and insisted I was a fairy prince. She had been crying and it made her so happy, I just did not have the heart to correct her." Kyoko raised her hands to her mouth and shook her head. "We only stayed in Kyoto for a short time, but I left her with a stone that I always kept with me. In hopes that it would help her through her tough times like it helped me through mine." Kyoko was still in shock so Ren went on. "I never expected to see her again, but the day that stone fell down those steps, I knew something had brought her back to me."

"Corn?" Kyoko asked softly from behind her hands.

"Yes." Ren nodded. Kyoko's eyes darted to his dark hair. "Jelly Woods dyes it for me so that on one knows I am blond." Ren admitted to his biggest secret. Kyoko reached up and touched his brown hair trying to process his words. Her mind flipped back to another memory she had with Ren.

"Why didn't you tell me when I was upset by that dammed Beagle's words?" Ren could hear a slight bit of hurt slip into her words.

"It's not that I did not want to, I couldn't." Ren sighed, he pulled her hand from his hair and held it in his. He rubbed her knuckles gently with his thumb as he went on. "I have hidden my identity from all of Japan for a long time and I couldn't just come out and say 'Oh ya, but the way, I just happen to be the boy that you met in the woods when you were six' without going into details that I was not ready to reveal yet." Kyoko considered his words as he went on. "And I don't think you would have believed me at that time either." Kyoko had to agree with him on that one. If he had dropped this bomb on her then, she would have thought that he was teasing and being mean to her. She would probably have hightailed it as far from him as she could have gotten.

"You're right. I would not have believed you then." Kyoko finally found herself in the torrent his confession had caused. She moved to the next topic as she processed this one. "Why did you change your name?" Ren sighed deeply and tried to congeal his thoughts.

"Can I put these up before I answer that?" Ren pointed to the contacts drying on the plate. Kyoko agreed and Ren picked them up and deposited them in their case in the bathroom before returning to his seat on the floor. Ren took her hands in both of his and rubbed his nervousness lightly into her knuckles with his thumbs. Kyoko squeezed his fingers to give him the courage he needed to proceed. She could see the fear and pain glistening in his blue eyes as he explained his dark past to her. She figured he had darkness in his soul during the time they spent as the Heel siblings, but she had already forgiven him for it. She did cry when Ren told her about his part in Rick's death and his fall into despair. He ended his tale with Lory taking him away to start again under the name he held now. The pair sat in silence for a moment. Ren waited for Kyoko to pass judgment on him, and she worked to process everything he had just told you. To his surprise, Kyoko rose to her knees and wrapped her arms around his head and pressed it to her chest. He raised his arms around her to hold her against him. She petted his hair soothingly as he held on to her for dear life.

"Thank you." Kyoko kissed the top of his head and held him a little tighter. "I know this took a lot for you to tell me." Ren was grateful that she had not turned away from him for his deceit. "You have confessed so much to me that I want to be honest with you." Ren released her as she pulled away to reclaim her seat. "There is one more important thing that you don't know about me." Ren held his breathe as he waited for her words. "I am Bo." A string of emotions raced across Ren's face as he processed this before bursting into embarrassed laughter and falling over.

"I told you all those things, and you never once thought it could have been you?" Ren asked as he got control of himself again. Kyoko sat with her arms crossed and huffed at him. Ren sighed in relief. He was sure that her confession was going to be more extreme. "I am sorry." He chuckled as he sat up and tried to reclaim the serious he had before. The stupid grin that kept crossing his face made it impossible, so he settled for something else, gratitude. He reached out and pulled the grumpy girl into his lap and kissed her soft. Kyoko returned the light kiss and melted into his arms as he cuddled around her. "Thank you for always taking care of me Kyoko. Even when I did not know it was you." This calmed Kyoko's grudges that had stirred at his outburst. He rocked her gently enjoying the bliss she gave him by being in his arms. Kyoko enjoyed the soothing motion for a few minutes before her mind turned back to the important subject of the night.

"So, who knows you are Kuon?" Kyoko sat up and looked into those blue eyes. Her heart thumped oddly at their closeness.

"Lory does, and my parents, Jelly Woods of course, and Catherine." Ren listed the people who knew. Kyoko was surprised at the last addition.

"Kat-chan?" Kyoko asked. "But how?"

"Catherine and I use to work for the same entertainment company back in the United States. Kuu took a liking to her the same way he did with you, so she is practically family. She started as an actress, but quickly got into the stunt end of the business before going into body guard work." Ren explained. "Being older than me, my father asked her to look after me at work and she used to chase me down for my father when I would get out of hand." Ren recalled something that made him chuckle. "She was one of the only people that could take me down when I didn't want to go." Kyoko stared at this revelation with an open mouth. In the entire time that Catherine had been here, Kyoko could only think of one time that she had even let on that she knew him.

"I had no idea." Kyoko could think of anything better to say.

"That was the entire point." Ren smiled at her. Her breath caught at the sparkle in his dazzling blue eyes. "Now, it is late and we still have to get you moved tomorrow. Can you think of anything else important that we need to talk about?" A million questions spun through her mind, but they were all superficial. He had given her the most important fact already. Right when she was about ready to say no, one question did pop up.

"Umm… So Yashiro-san does not know." Ren sighed at the question.

"No. He knows that Tsuruga Ren is not my real name, but I have never told him anything about my past." Kyoko felt bad for the poor manager.

"Why not?" Kyoko asked. "Don't you trust him?"

"Of course I trust him, but Lory and I agreed when I came over that we could not tell anyone about this." Ren explained. "That way there was no possible way it could get out." Kyoko considered this for a moment.

"But you just told me." Kyoko pointed out to him. Ren smiled and squeezed the girl in his arms.

"Yes and I plan to marry you before the end of the year." Kyoko blushed hard as Ren pulled her in for a deep and passionate kiss.

**Autors note:** I know this chapter is a little long… I had planned to cut it in half after she made the rice balls, but I figured that would be mean to leave it hanging another day. I hope you enjoyed the fluffiness of this chapter.


	65. Chapter 66

Here is the next installment. Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

The morning light trickled into the room and Ren studied the sleeping face of the girl in his arms. It had been a hard night for both of them, but he loved the way she looked asleep. After their talk, Kyoko had made him help her finish the plate of onigiri and clean the kitchen before they retired for the night. He had managed to coax her into his bed with the promise of storied from his childhood. She had come eagerly. He couldn't wait for the day that she would come that eagerly to his bed for other things. They had spent several hours cuddled together as he regaled her with the glories of his past. He had only stopped when her deep even breathing had informed him that she had fallen asleep. Shortly later, he too found sleep with the one he loved wrapped safely in his arms.

Kyoko stirred in her sleep. She was having a wonderful dream about her childhood fairy friend when she opened her eyes to meet the clear blue eyes of the man he had grown into. Kyoko tensed up as she tried to separate fact from fiction. Ren held his breath expecting the young girl to bolt from his bed. He started breathing again when she came to terms with her situation and relaxed in his arms.

"Good morning Kyoko." Ren whispered to her. Kyoko smiled and returned his greeting.

"Good morning Kuon." Ren's heart flipped and his careful leaned into the girl and kissed her softly. He loved the sound of his real name on her lips. Kyoko fidgeted in his arms. Ren pulled away and smiled at the blushing girl. He knew that it was still a long time till she was going to be completely comfortable being in his bed, but he was willing to wait for her. Ren looked over at the time and sighed. He had spent more time in his bed today then he had in a long time. Kyoko followed his eyes to what made him sighed and squeed at the late hour.

"How can it be so late?" Ren released Kyoko as she wiggled out from under the covers. "I was sure that Yashiro-san and Kat-chan would be back by now." Ren smiled at his love as she attempted to walk to the bathroom in the long legs of his pajamas. He had been surprised by the strange noise that escaped from her last night when she opened the overnight bag that Catherine has left for her. When he asked her what was wrong, she squeaked louder and shoved whatever she had been looking at back in her bag before telling him that Catherine had forgotten to include something for her to sleep in. Ren had solved the problem by giving her a pair of his silk pajamas that had a drawstring in the bottom. He had nearly come undone when she came out swimming in the fabric of the buttoned top, she was just too cute. What he didn't tell her was that he peeked into her bag when she went to the bathroom to get changed. He shook his head when he pulled the light lavender silk and organza baby-doll nightgown out of her bag. He had to give it to Catherine, it was a good try. He was now sure that she was spending way too much time with his manager. He had taken the garment and the matching thong and folded it carefully away in one of his draws. He knew that, given the chance, Kyoko would find a way to dispose of the article somewhere and he really wanted to see her in it someday. He didn't respond to the odd look she gave him last night when she came back to her bag to find the intimate apparel missing.

His mind was brought back to the here and now when he heard the water running in his bathroom. He had to shake himself to clear his mind of the visions of Kyoko's soft white skin covered in tiny droplets of water. He groaned and promised himself a very cold shower as soon as she was done. Ren pulled himself from his bed and went to see if he could find out what had happened to their managers.

Catherine picked up her phone on the second ring. She had been waiting for the actors to call her, but she had expected them to call much sooner.

"Good morning." Catherine answered. "Did you have a good night?" Ren could hear the teasing tone in her voice.

"Actually, yes." Ren smiled into the phone. He got a giggle out of the girl for his troubles. "Thank you for getting Yashiro out of here so that we could have a long talk."

"It was my pleasure." Catherine cooed into the phone.

"I'm sure it was." Ren teased back. Catherine reddened slightly at his words.

"So she knows now?" Catherine figured he took the opportunity, but she had to verify it.

"Yes, she knows." Ren nodded.

"And?" He could hear the anticipation in Catherine's voice. His answer would determine how she would need to act in the next few months.

"She took it better than I could have asked for." Ren admitted. Catherine could hear the relief in his words.

"Good." Catherine finished before turning to other things. "Yuki and I are already out at the villa. We met with the movers and are getting things settled here. When you're ready, come on out." Ren stood in shock at his old friends words.

"Yuki?" Ren questioned as he tried to pin that name on his manager.

"You know who I mean." Catherine gruffed at him. "Just get your backsides out here. Oh and one more thing. If anything happens to her before she gets here…. You get to answer to that knife wielding man." Ren laughed into the line as Catherine cut off the call. He could just picture himself laid out on the Darumaya's counter being reduced to little chunks of flesh by a very angry Taishou.

After quick showers and breakfast, Ren drove Kyoko out to the villa that she would be staying in for the next few months. He watched in rapture as Kyoko's eyes lit up when they pulled into the mansions driveway. In ways of Lory's homes, this one was very small, only six bedrooms and two living rooms, but it was like a castle to the young woman.

"It's magnificent!" Kyoko cooed as she got out of the car. Ren walked the young woman to her new home as she tried to take in everything at once. "Am I really going to stay here?" The wonder in her voice drew a chuckle from the tall actor.

"Until your birthday." Ren answered. The pair approached the porch of the home when Catherine opened the door for them.

"Good to see you made it." Catherine greeted them warmly, "Come on it and take a look around." Kyoko waffled in the entrance way for a moment before slipping out of her shoes. The house was western style so there was no place to take off her shoes, but the carpets were a very light cream and she did not want to risk getting them dirty. Yashiro came out of kitchen wiping his hands on a towel.

"Good morning Kyoko-chan." He greeted the girl warmly. "I just finished with some tea, so when you're done exploring you can have some." Kyoko thanked him and disappeared into the home. Catherine followed to help the girl pick out the room that she wanted. Ren followed the girl with soft warm eyes. Yashiro came to stand by his side. "Your mask is slipping again." he teased his charge. Ren smiled at him.

"So is yours YUKI." Ren teased. Yashiro turned bright red and looked away from his friend.

"Did you have a good night?" Yashiro asked. Ren considered what kind of answer to give him.

"It was good." He finally decided that the truth would be best. "Kyoko and I sat down and had a long talk." Ren smiled and went to the kitchen. Yashiro followed. "How was your night?" Ren grinned slyly at his friend. "I was starting to worry when you didn't come back." Yashiro blushed again and readjusted his glasses.

"Well, um…. we…. had a nice night." Yashiro could not think of a decent way to say it, so he let the details go. "This morning we swung past Catherine's apartment to get her things and met up with the movers with Kyoko's boxes." Yashiro busied himself with refreshments as he told Ren about the rest of the morning and the way Catherine had inspected the house when they arrived. "I was amazed. She didn't just look in every room; she opened ever door and cabinet in the place. She even crawled into the attic and checked out the crawlspace under the house." Ren nodded as his friend.

"She wanted to make sure the place was safe." Ren understood what she was doing. Yashiro just stared at him.

"But that wasn't the strangest part." Ren listened as his friend went on. "Before I knew what was going on, she climbed up the outside of the house and inspected the roof." Ren gave him a blank face. "Just right up the trellis like it was nothing." Ren smiled at his confused friend. "Oh, oh, and when she was done inspecting all of the skylights and roof vents, she just slipped over the edge and dropped to the overhang on the porch before jumping down, like she was some cat out for a stroll." Ren laughed then patted Yashiro on the back. He winced as Ren came down on a raw spot.

"Looks like your kitty has claws." Ren teased. Yashiro grinned and shook his head.

"Yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way." Yashiro looked to the doorway leading to the living room. "She never ceases to amaze me." Ren smiled at his friend.

"Me either." He was saved from elaboration by the auburn streak that chose that moment to shoot into the room.

"Ren-kun! There's a POOL!" Kyoko bounced in her excitement. "And it's in a greenhouse so that we can use it when it gets cold." Ren nearly dropped his cup as she pulled him from the room. It was only Yashiro's quick hand that caught it from him as he left with the excited girl. Catherine came laughing into the room. She found the sight of the much larger man being dragged at breakneck speeds through the living room by an excited teen too funny not to laugh.

"Did you get everything settled?" Yashiro turned to place the cups in his hands onto the counter. Catherine wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek on his back.

"We still have a lot to do, but she did pick out her room." Yashiro flinched as Catherine rubbed her face against his back. "Sorry." Catherine apologized shyly. Yashiro rotated in her arms to face her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up against him.

"Don't be," Yashiro shook he head lightly. "I'm not." Catherine giggled at him. "Let's just see if we can keep those claws sheathed a little better next time, ok kitty?" Catherine giggled again then purred at him. She had to stop when he pressed his lip to hers for a long deep kiss.


	66. Chapter 67

I've had a really good day writing today so here is your second update. -.- Thank you all for your continued support. I hope you enjoy.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!. **

Kyoko pulled Ren through the house as fast as her legs could carry her. Ren was surprised when she rushed him into a door he had not noticed in the hall. It looked like it should have been a closet, but it turned out to be some kind of a prep area. There were shelves and benches and a shower stall. Kyoko ignored all of this and rushed the actor through the door on the other side of the room. It led straight into a greenhouse hidden behind the house. The lush foliage of the plants had been trimmed back to reveal a beautiful pool dropped in the middle of the oasis. It was not an overly large pool like Ren would expect from one of Lory's house, but the curvy edges would allow one to swim in gentle circles around it for a long time. Ren decided that he would have to bring his swimming suit next time, just so he could get Kyoko in there.

"It's very nice." Ren stepped closer to the pool to have a look at it. Kyoko was giddy and bouncing around looking at the flowers that were cultivated in the green house.

"Look here." Kyoko drew his attention the many orchids that were scattered throughout the green background. Ren oooed and ahhed at everything that Kyoko pointed out to him. He really didn't see them past the completely defenseless girl showing them to him. In one very secluded section of the greenhouse, Ren pulled the girl's attention away from the unusual plant and wrapped her into his arms. His self-restraint could take no more of her cuteness. She meeped when he pressed his lips to hers, but it did not take long for her to melt and start kissing him back. When they broke apart for air, Ren looked into the flushed girl's eyes.

"I love you, Kyoko." Kyoko tensed up at his words, but melted again and gave him a small peck on the lips. Ren's heart nearly burst as he heard her say the one thing he had been longing for.

"I ll..ve you too, Kuon." His joy over took his good sense and he crushed his lips to hers again.

The two couples spent the rest of the day getting the girls settled into their new home. Kyoko had a few moments of embarrassment during that time. The first happened when Ren offered to help her unpack. Before she could stop him, he popped open the box of clothing that Catherine had added the dolls to. Ren stared at all the miniature versions of him. Kyoko watched in horror as he picked one up. He recognized the Armani suit that the doll was wearing. This was one of Kyoko's earlier versions and showed a scared chibi face.

"What's this?" He looked over the fine detailing. He was sure that she had never seen him in this outfit. It even had the pocket watches and chain. It was clearly him, but he did not understand the expression on its face.

"NOTHING!" A very red Kyoko tried for the doll, but Ren's longer arms kept it from her grasp. He remembered the times that he had caught her reprimanding herself in his voice and laughed.

"Do you use these things to scold yourself when I am not around?" Ren could not keep the amusement out of his voice. Kyoko refused to answer, but he could see from the shade of her face and fact that she wilted to the floor and begged his forgiveness that he had hit the nail on the head. He chuckled again and pulled the girl to her feet again.

"You're mean." Kyoko pouted. Ren wrapped an arm around the girl and placed a light kiss on top of her head and handed her doll back to her.

"I think it is very cute." Kyoko took the doll and stuffed it back in the box and tucked the top back down. She moved the box away from him so he could not get into it again. Ren considered her for a moment. "That was something I didn't know about you." Kyoko blushed as she continued with her work. She was glad it was his doll he found and not one of Sho's, especially not the one in the see through coat.

The second moment of embarrassment came after she had finished unpacking and the two actors came out to find the two managers lying on the couch together. Yashiro was stretched out on his back with his arms wrapped around Catherine curled on top of him. Catherine had his shirt clutched in her hands sound asleep. Kyoko blushed at the intimate position the two were in. She had been hoping that the two managers would work something out, but to see it before her eyes was something totally different. It didn't seem to bother Ren at all. He did pull out his phone and snap a quick photo of them and sent it to Yashiro before walking over and tapping the sleeping man on the arm lightly to wake him up. When his eyes popped open Ren pointed to the kitchen and took the stunned actress out of the room so Yashiro could wake Catherine in privet. It was the least he could do for the woman after her consideration last night.

The tired couple made their way into the kitchen shortly afterward. Kyoko blushed again at the red make left on Catherine's cheek from the folds of Yashiro's shirt. It was a good thing he had dressed in a soft t shirt and jeans today, or she would have his normal suit all wrinkled up. Neither actor said anything as Catherine made her way over and filled the coffee maker with something to give her life again.

As the day drew to a close, Kyoko fixed a wonderful dinner for everyone. It would be the last time they had the chance to sit and enjoy a meal for a while. The drive out to the villa was more than the tall actor with a full schedule would be able to make on a normal bases and they had decided it was too dangerous for her to spend time at Ren's. He wanted to ask Lory to see if he could reduce his schedule to spend more time with his wife to be, but he could not push back the dramas that he was in for more than a few days. In fact these last three days would make Ren's next few weeks busier than one would think was possible. Lory had promised to arrange time at the beginning of the year for their honeymoon, but this also meant that he would be taking on more projects to get them out of the way beforehand.

When time came for the men to leave, Yashiro and Catherine stepped out onto the darkened porch so the two actors would have some privacy for their farewell. Kyoko started to bow her normal goodbye, but was stopped when Ren placed his hand on her shoulder. He needed more than just a simple parting. Ren pulled the tense girl against him and pressed her into his chest. He folded his frame around her to inundate her with his feelings so that she would not forget while he was not there. Kyoko melted some and wrapped her arms around her love. He held her for a long moment before raising his head and looking down into her golden eyes. Kyoko's heart beat quickened as her mind brought back those startling blue eyes that she knew he was hiding behind his contacts. Ren slowly bent down captured Kyoko in a kiss that made her knees weak. She was trembling when he finally pulled back.

"I love you." The emotion in Ren's words pulled tears from her eyes. Ren released her and raised his hands to catch the falling tears from her face. "Be safe, do what Catherine tells you, and I will see you when I can." Ren kissed her again when she agreed. "And remember that I love you." The actors walked to the door and shared one last sweet kiss before Ren turned on the light and opened the door.

Yashiro pulled away from the neck he was assaulting when the light came on signaling that the actors were coming out. He sighed and kissed the girl one more time quickly on the lips before releasing her and turning to the two actors passing through the doorway. After one last fast farewell and warning the two men were speeding on their ways back to the bustling city. Catherine turned to Kyoko and held out her hand for the actress to head back inside.

"After the last two days we have had, I think it is time we head to bed." Catherine locked the door and headed deeper into the house. Kyoko agreed and the two women retired to their bedrooms upstairs.


	67. Chapter 68

Here is a longer chapter for you. I thought about cutting it in half, but it was just not as enjoyable without the second half. I hope it is not too long. As always, I live for your thoughts.

I want to that kashudoreineko for speaking up for all the silent readers. I really do appriciate your support.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

As Catherine took Kyoko to work the next morning, she stopped and picked up a big wall calendar and to stick up on the wall in the kitchen so Kyoko could keep track of the days till she was free again. Kyoko counted the weeks till she turned 18, it was the first week in September, so she only had 14 weeks till she married Ren and this nightmare was over. She was still having an issue dealing with the face that she was going to be marring the star, but she preferred that over the other options she was given. Lory had cleared most of her schedule so she did not have to come to LME for LoveMe work, and he had also informed the school of her situation and they arranged for her to be listed down on hiatus so that it would not affect her standings. The directors of her dramas had agreed to rewrite some of the scripts so that Kyoko would not be needed as much for them. They had not written her completely out, but she would only be needed a few days a week. This left Kyoko with something that she was not use to, free time.

The first two weeks in the villa were not too hard on Kyoko. She spent part of her time coaxing storied of Kuon out of Catherine. Now that Kyoko knew his history, Catherine was only too happy to oblige her with the most embarrassing storied that she could think up. These would always leave Kyoko laughing and wondering if the suave man that she had grown to love could really do such fooling things. When their talks would lead into the man's darker deeds, Catherine would find a way to lead them away from the subject. This would frustrate Kyoko, she wanted to know all about the man she was going to marry in just a few short weeks. Once she even called Catherine on the evasion. Catherine only looked at her seriously and informed her that it was not her story to tell and to ask Ren.

Kyoko was glad to see that Catherine really did know her way around a kitchen. The two women would spend meal times sharing tips on the best ways to cook things. Catherine taught the young woman several American dishes that she assured Kyoko Ren should love; and Kyoko returned the favor by teaching Catherine how to cook Japanese food. Kyoko was amazed at how many different baked goods Catherine could make without a recipe. Kyoko especially loved the fresh bread that she made, it was light and fluffy and melted in your mouth, yet still strong enough to hold up to anything Kyoko tried to put on it. When they had more than enough baked goods to feed a small army, they moved on to other hobbies.

It had taken no time at all for Kyoko to work up the blond Ren doll that she had promised to Catherine. Now she knew who it was for and why, she added those gorgeous blue eyes. Catherine was excited to see the miniature Kuon and quickly packed it away with letters from both girls to be sent to Kuu and Julie in the states. Catherine promised to stop at a fabric store on their next trip into town to get Kyoko some new supplies as payment.

There were two things that Kyoko would look forward to in her day. She would wake up to Ren calling her in the morning to tell her that he loved her, and he would call her again in the evening to tell her about his day and wish her a good night. She had already gotten use to his unrestrained show of affection over the phone, and she was getting use to telling him her feelings too. At first she would stammer and blush, but she grew more confident and comfortable with ever phone call. Ren held hopes that she would remain confident and comfortable when they saw each other in person again.

The two women spent most of the rest of their time in the swimming pool. Kyoko had started to notice that she had not been getting as much exercise as she had before Catherine became her manager. She did not have the option to break out her bike and go riding like she would have liked, but the pool gave both girls the opportunity to work out daily. In fact, Kyoko would often wake up to find Catherine swimming laps in the cool water.

It was in the third week that Kyoko started to have trouble living a 'quiet' life. She had cleaned everything twice and put together several more Ren dolls with blond hair and blue eyes. She couldn't cook anything more, there were already three cakes and a plethora of cookies in the kitchen. She was starting to get restless until Catherine presented her with book and a dictionary. The cover of the book showed a rolling country side with an English title written in a large red box.

"Here, why don't you try reading this?" Kyoko took the book and sounded out the English words on the cover.

"The Hobbit." Kyoko was sure she had heard that word before, but could not place it.

"It's a great book and I think you will like it." Catherine pressed the dictionary into her other hand. "Just in case there is something you don't understand." Kyoko accepted the book and went to find a quiet place to occupy her time. Catherine was wrong; Kyoko did not like the book. She loved it. It only took her a few days to devour the entire novel. As she closed the cover and sighed, sad that she would not be able to spend more time with her new friends, Catherine dropped another book on the couch next to her. Kyoko looked at the new paper back, it had the same type of picture and box on the front, but this one read "The Fellowship of the Ring." Kyoko giggled as she pulled the book to her and read the author's name. She realized that his was a continuation of the story and poured herself into the new book.

Kyoko sat in her swimsuit on the lounge chair near the pool while Catherine swam laps in the water. She was drawn from her story when Catherine stopped swimming in mid stroke and bobbed in the water. She could see her manager concentrating hard on something. Catherine pulled herself to the edge of the pool and climbed out quickly.

"Is everything alright?" Kyoko asked. Catherine looked tense.

"I think someone is here." Catherine dried herself quickly with a towel and dropped it on the ground next to Kyoko. Fear washed over Kyoko as she uncurled to get up. Catherine waved her back down. "Stay here. I will go check it out." Kyoko nodded but got up and moved back to the edge of the plants decorating the area. If anyone got past Catherine, she wanted a good place to hide. Catherine slipped out of the greenhouse through the changing room and stopped at the door to the entry way. She listened for a moment as she heard thumping from the front room. Catherine readied herself for the possible physical confrontation and opened the door silently. She tiptoed down the hallway and stopped just before she entered the living room to listen again. She let out the breath she was hold and relaxed as she heard the familiar voices coming from the room.

Ren had not seen Kyoko in three weeks and when they canceled his afternoon filming due to a blown transformed, he jumped on the chance to go and see her. Yashiro had agreed whole-heartily and tried to call the two girls to let them know to expect company. He had been baffled when neither girl answered their phones. Ren's nerves twisted into a knot as Yashiro tried again to no avail. Ren broke every speed limit as his anxiety pushed him to the villa and what he might find there. Ren barely got the car shut off at the villa where his love was staying before rushed from the car with Yashiro hot on his heels. He hammered on the door as multiple scenes played through his head, each one worst then the last. Yashiro produced a key to the door and pushed the actor aside. Lory had given it to in in case of an emergency.

"We need to just calm down Ren, I am sure they are ok." Yashiro tried to sooth the actor's frayed nerves unsuccessfully. He was nearly as worried about the girls as the actor was. He had been trying to hold on to his head and the actors for the entire ride over, but each unanswered call shook them both more.

"Hello, Kyoko, Catherine are you here?" Ren pushed past him and into the room. He stopped for a moment in the living room scanning for any signs of a struggle or the girls. He was about to turn to the kitchen when Catherine stepped out of the hallway to greet them.

"Hey, what are you guys doing her?" Catherine she called in greeting. Ren nearly collapse as relief flooded him. Yashiro just stared at the woman in the damp white bikini. Her long hair dripped down her back and the water droplets glinting on her skin made it was obvious that she had just gotten out of the pool. Instead of answering her question, Ren shot one back at her.

"Where is she?" Catherine stopped and looked at the tormented actor.

"She's out by the pool reading." Catherine informed him. Ren took off before she could warn him to announce himself to the girl. She turned back to the manager that was still standing in the living room.

"What's up with him?" Catherine closed the distance between them. Yashiro shook his head to get his mind back to where it needed to be and off the strings holding the girls suit in place.

"We could not get a hold of you and he was worried that something might have happened." Yashiro explained as he tried, unsuccessfully, to only look as Catherine's face. Catherine gave him a puzzled look and turned around to the table next to the couch. Yashiro pulled his glasses off to clean them so he could not watch the woman's back as she bent over to pick up her phone plugged into the charger. She thumbed through all the missed calls and chuckled.

"I am sorry we gave to cause to worry." Catherine put the phone back down and turned around to see that Yashiro had come over to her. As he reached his arms out to her, Catherine raised her hand and took a step back to stop him. "No, I'm wet." Yashiro showed how much he care about that by grabbing her wrist and using it to pull her against him to be kissed soundly.

Kyoko hid in the shrubs next to the pool waiting for Catherine to come back. Every second that she did not hear anything made her heart beat harder. She had collected a pool noodle to use as defense. Admittedly, it was not the best weapon, but it was the only thing lying around that she could get, and it was better than nothing. Kyoko held her breath as she heard the door to the greenhouse open and footsteps that were too heavy to be Catherine's come down the path. She quickly decided that she would need to defend herself and as soon as the tall man entered her line of sight, she rushed him. She threw herself into the mass as hard as she could to topple him, but froze when her name in a familiar voice told her that it was Ren that was in the process of pushing into the pool. She had planned to bounce off her possible attacker and flee, but the delay cause by her shock left her too far out of balance, and she splashed into the water with to the stunned actor.

The two actors surfaced coughing, neither one had been prepared to enter the water and had inhaled a little of the liquid in their struggle to the surface. They were close to the edge and quickly clung to the side to the pool as they tried to clear their lungs.

"I AM SO SORRY!" Kyoko cried as soon as she could. She was sure that he would be furious that she had pushed him in. Now that he had a moment to process what had just happened, Ren chuckled and reached for the upset girl. He pulled her against him in the water and gave her a tight one armed him and kissed the top of her head.

"It's ok." Ren soothed her. He had not expected her to take such drastic actions in her own defense. "I should have let you know it was me." This seemed to calm the girl a little. He released her and lifted her from the pool before climbing out himself.

"Is everything ok?" The concerned tone of Kyoko's manager drifted up the path to greet the wet actors. Kyoko nearly cried again as she informed Catherine and Yashiro about how she had attacked Ren with a pool noodle thinking he was here to hurt her. "Well, you did a good job." Catherine survived the wet actor trying to wring the water from his shirt. Yashiro stood behind Catherine giggling like a girl.

"But he's soaked now." Kyoko whined again. "He is going to catch a cold."

"Well, let's see if we can find something that he can change into." Catherine turned and headed back to the house while Kyoko fussed over a very wet Ren. Yashiro made the mistake of walking over to the actor while still laughing at this situation.

"If you wanted to take a swim, you could have at least taken your clothing off." Yashiro poked at him in fun. The tease on top of the last half hour was too much for the Ren to handle and some of Kuon slipped through. Before he knew what hit him, Ren had shoved the teasing man into the pool too. Yashiro nearly drown in a fit of laughter as he pulled himself to the surface. He knew it had been a bad idea to tease the poor actor like that, but he just could not help himself. Catherine looked back at the sound of the splash to see Yashiro missing in the pool and Kyoko freaking out. She shook her head and continued on her mission now to find two sets of clothing instead of one.

**Author's Note**: Thanks Yoshi, I don't think I will be able to watch that movie again for a while without that playing in my head. LOL Although, Ren would make a great Jereth... Love David Bowie in that!


	68. Chapter 69

Here is the sext section for your enjoyment. Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Twenty minutes later, both men had been run through hot showers and were dressed in yukatas that Catherine had found in one of bedrooms. From the things that were in there, it was obvious that Lory had expected the guys to be over at some point. Catherine also pulled out swimsuits from the same room that would fit both men so that they could have a proper swim later. The girls had dressed in yukatas too so they were not running around in wet bathing suits. Yashiro watched Catherine pad around in bare feet as she hung the men's clothing up in the back yard to dry in the sun. It took Ren teasing him before he turned his attention away for the woman and came back to join the actors sitting at the table having tea. Ren had just finished explain to Kyoko about the electrical problem that had canceled his work when Catherine came back inside.

"That makes good sense." Catherine had heard part of it and could figure the rest out. "I assume you will be joining us for dinner." Catherine asked. Ren agreed and Catherine went to put something together. When Kyoko got up to help, the manager waved her back so she could spend time with the man that had come to see her. After a few minutes, Yashiro used his empty cup as an excuse to remove himself from the two actors company. Ren was grateful to his manager for giving him time alone with the girl he loved.

Yashiro walked into the kitchen to find Catherine pouring rice into a tupperware dish.

"What are you doing?" He asked as she took apart the two ruined phones that had gone for a swim in the pool with the actors. She patted as much of the water from the back as she could.

"I am trying to save your phones." Yashiro came over and slipped his arms around the girl's waist and rested his chin on her shoulder as he watched her bury the electronics in the rice before snap the lid in place.

"Will that help?" Yashiro asked.

"Maybe." Catherine answered as she slid the box to the back of the counter and turned to face the man wrapped around her. "SO, you want to help me with dinner?" Yashiro kissed her softly.

"It would be my pleasure." He answered and released the girl so they could get to work.

Ren sat listening to Kyoko prattle on about the few weeks that they had been apart. He sighed contently as she reached out to take her hand from where it rested on the table. Kyoko's monologue faltered as the tall actor laced his fingers into hers.

"I love you." Ren spoke just loud enough for the young girl to hear her. Kyoko swallowed hard to help push her heart out of her throat and back where it belonged.

"I l...ve you too." Kyoko stammered out her reply. Ren smiled and lifted her hand to his face to press a kiss to her knuckles. He loved the way those words came from her lips. The red that flushed up Kyoko's face at his gesture made his heart beat faster. Unable to bare the cuteness anymore, Ren stood to scoop her up when he felt a sharp sting in his right eye. He stopped in his motion and blinked fast to clear whatever had gotten in there out. Kyoko became concerned when Ren raised his hand up to rub the corner of his eye.

"Don't rub." She warned him and stood up. She took him by the hand and started to lead him to the kitchen to wash his eye out, but Ren hesitated. Kyoko turned to look at troubled actor. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Contacts." Ren answered and looked towards the room containing the man that did not know his secret. Kyoko immediately understood and changed directions. She led him up the steps and into the upstairs bathroom. Here they could tend to his eye without risking discovery. Kyoko shut the door behind them while Ren pulled one of the little cups from the dispenser on the counter. He filled it partway with water and pulled the contact out of the irritated eye. He dropped the film into the cup and moved it way from the sink so nothing would happen to it. Once that was taken care of, Kyoko forced the tall man to sit on the toilet so that she could look into his now blue eye to remove the foreign object irritating it. After a quick search and a wet washcloth, he was able to give the man some relief from the eyelash that had fallen into his eye.

Now that the pain was gone, Ren wrapped his arms around the girl examining his reddened eye. Surprise filled her eyes, but his heart sang when that normal nervous squeak did not come out. She remained soft as he pulled her down to rest sideways on his lap.

"Thank you." He muttered and he raised one hand to the back of her head and pulled her lips to his. When she returned his kiss, he deepened it and licked her lips knowing this would make her gasp lightly. When she did, he took the opportunity to slip between her parted lips and explore her mouth fully. Kyoko twisted a little to face him more and ran her hands to tangle her fingers in his hair. The passion he felt in Kyoko's hands sparked his desire even more, and he pulled her tighter to him as the two kissed each other into breathlessness.

They finally burst apart gasping for air when they absolutely could not continue without passing out. Kyoko had turned even more in his lap so that one leg was bent between then and the other stretched to the floor. This made the front of her yukata gap dangerously. Kyoko did not seem to notices as she studied the man's mismatched eyes. The sounds of her deep breathing so close to him made every nerve in Ren's body tingle.

"Take it out." Ren's eyes widened at the lack of shame in those very wanton words from the girl in his lap. Did he hear that right? Had the very love-resistant and shy girl that he had come to know and love just ask him to take 'IT' out? Kyoko saw the surprise in his eyes and fidgeted a little in his lap. She looked over to the cup on the counter and spoke with a little embarrassment in her voice. "I just really like your blue eyes." The breath that Ren had been holding slipped from him in a light chuckle. There was the girl he thought he knew. He leaned his head forwards to her shoulder and hugged her against him. He pulled back and placed another very light kiss on her lips.

"Alright." He agreed. Kyoko slipped from his lap as he stood to remove the other contact. He laughed at himself for thinking that she had made such a leap. How could he have thought such a cute and innocent girl would ask him to do something so perverted when they weren't even married yet? He pulled the other contact from his eye and dropped it into another cup of water. He placed it next to the first one so that he would not get them confused as he continued to scold his libido until he was sure that it was back under control. He blinked his eyes clear again and turned to look at the girl he loved. "How's this?" This time Kyoko did squee before launching herself into his arms.

"Fantastic." She kissed him again. Ren decided that it was time to move their party to the couch in the upstairs living room before he did find his way into her yukata. Ren sat her down on the couch and knelt on the floor in front of her. He took both of her hands in his and looked up into her confused amber eyes. He loved those eyes, no matter what emotions they showed him. He held her eyes for a few moments imagining hotter emotions coming from those golden orbs before he shook the image from his head and turned back to what he was doing.

"Kyoko." He paused on her name and blinked his blue eyes at her. "I know this has been rushed on you, but I want to do things right." Ren reached into the sleeve of his yukata and pulled out a small box. He had been carrying this box around with him for the last two weeks hopping that he would have a chance to see her. He flipped the box open to expose the slightly damp contents. Even though he knew the answer he asked the girl the question all women want to hear. "Will you marry me?" He held on to her hand as he moved the slightly worn box out for her to see the diamond ring inside. Kyoko gasped at him and covered her mouth with her free hand. She could not believe the size to the rock he offered. It had to be at least two carats. She tried not to cry as she nodded her agreement and he slipped the ring from the box and onto her finger. Kyoko looked at the band of gold wrapping her finger and dropped to the floor so that she could wrap her arms around his neck and cry into his shoulder. Never had she felt so loved as she did at that moment. He patted her back and held her till her emotions were washed out and she pulled back. She sniffled as she felt a little guilty about her actions. He had given her such a wonderful gift, and all she had done was soak his shoulder with her tears.

"Thank you." She said shyly as she looked down to the floor beside him. Ren laughed and Kyoko found herself lifted from the floor as the strong man scooped up his love bridal style. She squeaked at Ren spun her around and down into his lap when he dropped to the couch.

"That's better." Kyoko held on as Ren shifted her in his lap so that she could place her head on his shoulder. He kissed his startled girl's forehead and relaxed with her safely in his arms. Kyoko studied the ring on the hand resting on Ren's chest and he enjoyed her comfortable weight and warmth in his arms. The two sat in a warm and comfortable embrace for a long time. When she could not stand it anymore, she asked the question scratching at her mind.

"Why is it so big?" It was all Ren could do not to burst at the innocent question. It was the second provocative thing she had said to him today, and she did not even realize it. A big smile formed on his face and he sighed as he answered.

"Because I love you."

Catherine had just finished putting dinner on and headed up the steps to see what the actors would want for dessert. She stopped when she hear the sounds of Kyoko's muffled crying. She eased forwards till just her head cleared the floor and she could see the two actors folded together on the floor. She was concerned for a moment until she saw the tell-tale box on the floor next to the man. Catherine slowly retreated back down the steps to give them the time that they needed. Dinner would be a while and she was sure that she could keep Yashiro distracted so that the two could bond. She walked over to the man stirring the pot and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She slipped her hand inside his yukata and rubbed the soft skin on his chest. Yashiro hummed at the pleasure of her touch.

"Yuki," She breathed his name across the skin of his neck where she had buried her face to place a light kiss. "How would you like to go for a real swim?" Yashiro melted in her presence, he would have agreed to anything that she suggested at that moment. He moaned a positive response before stopping to think.

"What about dinner?" He looked at the wooden spoon in his hand. He had stopped stirring when his lover had pressed herself against his back. Catherine reached around him and turned the fire down till it was just barely on and took the spoon from his hand and dropped it to the Bo shaped spoon rest on the stove.

"It should take several hours to cook." Catherine's breath on his neck was driving him wild as she spook.

"Hours?" He questioned while his mind whirled through all the things that they could do in hours.

"It is stew, it needs time to come together." He chuckled as he took more meaning from her words then she meant. He twisted in her arms so that they were facing her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"REALLY!" Yashiro cocked his eyebrow at her. Catherine smacked his arm and shook her head.

"Pervert." She teased. He bent and kissed her. "Let go." Catherine pulled from his arms and led him by the hand to get back into their swimming suits to hit the pool for a bit. Dinner wasn't the only thing that needed time to come together.

**Author's note**: This is for all of those that enjoy the fluffiness and innuendos… I hope I did a good job.


	69. Chapter 70

Yays.. more story! Oh wow.. we are up to 70 sections! I really had not expected this to go on for this long, but I am really enjoying writing it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Kyoko woke up slowly. She felt warm, comfortable, and safe. She wiggled a little as she tried to process where she was. The memories slipped back in when strong arms squeezed her just enough to let her know she was being held. She raised her face to look at the tall actor underneath her. Ren had laid his head back against the couch as he dosed. As she moved, he raised it back up to look at her. Ren reluctantly let her get up from his lap. Kyoko looked around at the darkened room and stretched the sleep from her muscles. The sun had set, but the colors had not faded from the sky. Kyoko looked down at the man still relaxed on the couch. She so wanted to cuddle back up with him, but she felt something was not right. She cast around in her mind trying to find what was wrong. Ren was safe and she could smell the wonders issuing from the kitchen. Then it hit her, she turned to the man that was starting to pick up on her worries.

"Why is it so quiet?" Kyoko asked. She expected to hear noises from the other occupants in the house, but there was nothing. Ren perked to attention and listened hard. Silence.

"I don't know." Ren stood up and took his love's hand and led her down the stairs to the living room. It was darker down here, so Kyoko flipped on the light by the couch. There were still no signs of life except the occasional bubble of cooking noises from the kitchen. Kyoko pulled away from her protector to go check to make sure everything was ok with the food. What she discovered pleased her very much. Kyoko stirred the viscous stew simmering on the stove and dropped the lid back on it. It was just about perfectly done, now all they had to do was find where the two managers had gone. Ren watched as Kyoko tended the food before rejoining him to go locate the missing people. He had an idea where they would find them and lead Kyoko out into the greenhouse. It was quiet here too, but he spied the two lovebirds as soon as he cleared the path to the pool. They had finished their swim and were cuddled together in one of the teak lounges wrapped in a towel. Both Ren and Kyoko faltered in there steps as the two managers looked over at the newly arrived couple.

"Did you guys come out for a swim?" Catherine uncurled herself from the Yashiro's arms and went to stand up. Kyoko blushed and Ren averted his eyes as she stood up and let the towel drop away. He sighed with relief that all the parts of her bathing suit were still in the right place. His speculations on their previous activities and the very intimate positioning the two were found in had led him to believe that they had walked in on something less then proper.

"NO." Kyoko's voice squeaked as she blushed harder. She was embarrassed that she had thought that the managers were being dirty. She tried to swallow it down and tried again. "We were coming out to see what you were doing." Catherine considered the guilty air around the two actors. Kyoko fidgeted under her scrutiny.

"We were just drying off from our swim." Catherine said it slowly to gauge the reactions of the two actors. "What did you think we were doing?" If you could die from embarrassment, Kyoko would have at that moment. Ren just cleared his throat before trying to save his love.

"We were worried when we found food cooking and no one else in the house." Catherine decided to let them go at that. She turned to take the yukata that Yashiro had brought over to her. He had taken the time she was questioning the actors to belt his into place.

"The stew needed time to cook, so we came out here for a swim." She shrugged into the robe and pulled the belt into place. "It should be about done." Kyoko jumped at the chance to change the subject.

"Oh yes, I checked on it before we came out." She explained. "It looked good." The two girls led the way back to the house to finish dinner. Yashiro stepped up beside the man watching the girls walk away.

"And what did you think we were doing?" Yashiro raised an eyebrow at his charger. Ren refused to look at him. "Pervert." Yashiro chuckled at him and followed the girls inside. Ren had not looked at him because he had made assumptions about the managers' activities, and he also did not want to risk the observant man noticing his blue eyes in the darkening room. Ren let out a sigh and went to locate his contacts before he really got himself into trouble.

Dinner was delicious. Catherine served the beef stew with some fresh bread that she and Kyoko had made the day before. Kyoko noted that this was nothing like the sukiyaki she was used to. This was thicker and richer food made for cold weather and comfort. It had cooked for a long time so the vegetables had started to break down and add their starches to the broth, making it more akin to gravy. It was much heavier food then she was used to, but it was still very early in the evening, so they would have plenty of time to digest it before going to bed. Catherine pulled her attention from the food to the ring on Kyoko's hand.

"Where did you get that?" She knew, but she thought she would let Kyoko show it off. Kyoko blushed and held her hand out to show her manager.

"Ren gave it to me." The squee that issued from Yashiro was deafening. Catherine smiled and looked at the diamond.

"That is very lovely." She patted Ren's shoulder. "You did a good job." Both the actors blushed as Yashiro wiggled in his chair. He wished he had his phone so that he could take a picture of that for the president.

The rest of dinner when fine until Kyoko cut some pie for dessert and set a piece in front of Yashiro. His eyes grew to the size of saucers when he heard Kyoko pop the top off a whipped cream can and shake it.

"Would you like some whipped cream?" The innocent girl asked him. He nearly popped a blood vessel as he escaped to the bathroom. Shock filled the young girl's face. "What is wrong with him?" Ren tired hard not to laugh while Catherine came over with an evil smile and took the can from Kyoko's hand.

"I think he would like some." She sprayed a large helping on top of his pie before adding some to hers. Kyoko looked at his plate.

"Are you sure?" She was still worried about the man's rapid exit.

"Oh, I am sure he likes whipped cream." Catherine's observation drew a snort from Ren as she tried his best not to explode with mirth. The young girl was much too innocent to be hanging around with the older woman. "I am sure he was just thinking about other uses for it." Kyoko added some cream to her and Ren's pie.

"Other uses?" She looked at the mountains of white foam on her plate. Catherine just smiled politely at her.

"Ask Ren. I am sure he can think of some." She answered as she licked some of the cream from her fingers.

Yashiro came back in to find Kyoko pressing a very red Ren for other uses of whipped cream and Catherine, looking like a bird fed cat, licking her fork. He had to turn around and head back to the bathroom before his nose really did start bleeding.

They had spent the rest of the night enjoying each other's company. Kyoko was a little cross with Ren because he would not explain to her what other uses whipped cream had. She kept popping the question on him throughout the evening as they played the board games that Lory had left for them. He nearly died laughing when the lead pipe in Clue! became a whipped cream can. From that point on it became the weapon both girls would use the most in the game. She finally stopped when he promised to make a list of all the ways that one could use whipped cream and share it with her the next time they got together. This seemed to make both Yashiro and Kyoko happy, but for obviously different reasons.

The next morning Catherine and Kyoko both got up very early so they could make breakfast for the men before they had to be off to work. Their clothing was finally dry, but they decided to stop off at their homes to get changes anyway. This meant that they would need a very early start indeed. When Ren came down from his shower, Kyoko bounced over to him excitedly.

"Catherine just told me about other uses for whipped cream!" Both Ren and Yashiro nearly fell over at the excitement in Kyoko's voice. Ren could not believe that she would be so excited about 'that'. Catherine walked over and handed a plate of eggs to the tall actor.

"You can add them to scrambled eggs to make them light and fluffy." She added a fork to the plate as the actor stood with his mouth hanging open. He had not expected that. "What did you think I told her?" Ren closed his mouth and moved to the table to eat the eggs he was given. He was not about to voice his opinion. She offered the same fare to Yashiro.

Catherine pulled what was left of the two men's phones from their bed in the rice. After shaking them off, she plugged the battery in Ren's and said a silent prayer before switching it on. To everyone's surprise, it powered right up. Next he put together Yashiro's phone. When she tried this one, nothing happened. She handed the dead phone back to its owner with a kiss.

"Sorry love." Yashiro took it and returned the kiss. "Sometimes it works, sometimes not." Yashiro shrugged.

"I'm always getting new phones anyway, so everything is backed up." He laughed. Ren laughed at the poor man's plight. The men finished their food and farewells to the girls and left before they were late.

**Author's note:** Sorry I just could not pass up the whipped cream reference. I enjoyed writing that way too much. Now that I have shown my Freudian slip I think it's time to get back to the story line.

You really can use Whipped Cream to make scrambled eggs VERY fluffy. You just have to keep stirring it untill it all combines well. Found that out one day when we ran out of milk to add to the eggs


	70. Chapter 71

An now.. On with the show! Please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not Own Skip Beat!**

The month of October passed mostly without note and they were into November before they knew what was happening. It looked as if their plan to keep Kyoko hidden was working. Kyoko had met up with Kanae to show off the ring that Ren had given her. She kept the diamond hidden on a chain around her neck while she was working. It had really impressed the older teen. She had come to terms with losing her best friend to the tall actor, mainly because she would rather lose her that way than any other. Kyoko had seen Ren a few times in town, but the men had not had a chance to come back out for another visit. Yashiro had managed to arrange an entire day off for the man next week and they were already making plans for their visit.

Kyoko was ready to call it a day when they finally made it back from Tokyo. They had a guest filming with them on Box 'R' and she was really having a problem with her lines. She kept getting the name of one of the characters wrong which forced them to have to do take after take. They finally got a clean take, but it had taken much longer then the director had originally intended. Kyoko walked in and dropped her bag next to the couch before heading into the kitchen for a drink. Catherine had suggested that she go take a nice dip in the pool while she cooked, and Kyoko was more than happy to take her up on the idea.

It was the startled cry from her manager that pulled Kyoko out of the kitchen to find the woman grappling with a larger man wielding a knife. He had the woman by the hair as she tried to get the knife away from him. Kyoko froze in terror as she watched Catherine crack the man's hand on the chair a few times till he dropped it. Once his weapon was gone, he shifted his hands to make for her neck to strangle the fighting woman. Catherine shifted her weight and forced the man to bend over top of her. With the man's head clearly exposed, Kyoko grabbed the table lamp and slammed it down on top of him as hard as she could. The hard impact knocked the man's consciousness from him and he collapsed on top of Catherine. It took her no time to flip the man off from her and stand up next to him. Catherine landed a really hard kick into the man's side that Kyoko was sure had broken ribs before she turned to the actress while rubbing the bruise forming on her neck.

"Thank you." Catherine said to Kyoko as she snatched up the knife from the floor and reached out her hand for her charge. The two girls explored the house quickly to see that there was no one else there. Catherine dug into her room and pulled out a long length of rope and duct tape. Kyoko followed her closely as she went back down and hogtied her attacker and stretched a piece of tape across his mouth. It was only after they were safe when Kyoko noticed the damp spot on Catherine's shirt or the red line gracing her arm.

"You're bleeding." Kyoko pointed out to her manager. Some very vile words issued out from the woman as she kicked the restrained man in the other side. She pulled off the shirt to see that the blade had just grazed her across the shoulder. It was better than the intended target. The man had jumped out at her from the hallway trying to slit her throat.

"We need to leave. NOW!" Catherine pulled the young actress up to her room and helped her to toss a few days' worth of clothing into a bag. She wiped away the blood and slapped a quick bandage on the bleeding wound before pulled on a clean shirt. Catherine grabbed another bag of clothing for her and two fireproof lock boxes. Kyoko followed in her whirlwind.

"But don't we need to call the police?" Kyoko thought of the most obvious thing. Catherine stopped to look at her.

"You are right, we do need to call someone." Catherine pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial button as she stacked their things in the front room.

"Lory, someone has broken into the villa and we were just attacked." Kyoko listened to the woman's shaky voice. "Please get the police out here. I am going to take Kyoko somewhere safe. I will let you know when we get there." With that she hung up on the man and turned her phone off. She dropped it on the chair and turned to Kyoko. "Please give me your phone." Kyoko did so without asking and Catherine turned it off as it started ringing and dropped it next to hers. "Come on, we need to go now." Kyoko followed in stunned silence as Catherine loaded their things and her into the car and left.

Lory looked as the number that rang into his personal phone. His heart skipped when he saw Catherine's name pop up on his caller ID. He did not even have a chance to say hello before the woman fired off at him.

"Lory, someone has broken into the villa and we were just attacked." His heart stopped as she went on without pause. "Please get the police out here. I am going to take Kyoko somewhere safe. I will let you know when we get there." Before he could ask if they were ok she had cut off the line. He immediately called her back to get more details, but the phone went straight to voicemail. He tried to call Kyoko's phone, but there was no answer there either. He then tried the house phone, but it was never answered. Worry creased his brow as he hung up and called the police to have them meet him out at the house. He knew that the woman would be long gone by the time they got there. He got Sebastian to bring the car around as he gathered the things he would need. He had two phone calls to make and neither of them was going to be good. He dialed the number of the man that was the closest and would do the most bodily harm to him if he did not let him know right away.

"Hello Yashiro-san, is Ren done yet?"

Lory arrived at the house to find the police waiting on the porch. He had told them that he wanted to report a break in, and asked that they send a car around to look at the damage. The office nearly walked away when the Egyptian pharaoh showed up. He was sure that one of the guys in the main office was playing a joke on him until the man opened to door to show the disaster inside the house. His eyes fell to the man tied up and he immediately radioed for back up. The officer started for the trussed man, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"This man is not supposed to be here." Lory explained. "There were two girls living here." The officer turned to look at him. "Where are they?" The officer left the man tied up and the two men started looking for the missing women. A quick search found that their rooms were messed and a medical kit tossed out in the bathroom, but the women were gone.

By the time that Ren and Yashiro arrived at the villa, the police were everywhere. The assailant had been handcuff and taken away to the hospital for treatment for the nasty bump on his head and what looked to be broken ribs. Ren tried to get past the officers, but was held out so the investigators could do their job. The crime scene investigators were there taking their pictures and collecting evidence to find out what had happened. Lory stood in front of the house watching the police work.

"Where are they?" Ren turned to the man that he was sure would know something. "Is she ok?" Lory tried to calm the tormented actor.

"Ren, I don't know anything." He confessed to him. "We found a man tied up inside and the girls were gone." Ren paced as he talked to his boss.

"But are they alright?" Ren kept turning to look at the people coming in and out of the house. Lory tried to calm him again.

"Catherine called to let me know that she was taking Kyoko some place safe." He tried to use as soothing a tone as his frayed nerves could make. It did not help the actor's state of mind that the investigators chose that moment to bring out the bloody knife and shirt. Ren's panic level increased again.

"Was she hurt?" Ren growled at his boss. Lory was forced back a step by the threat of violence held in the actor's words.

"I don't believe so." Lory started. Ren turned his eyes back to the investigators. "They did find a knife, some blood, and a torn shirt." Ren seethed. "But I think it belongs to Catherine." Ren paled and turned to look at Yashiro. Lory's eyes shifted to the manager standing back watching the controlled chaos that had been a safe place. The man had been very quiet since he told Ren about the problem with the girls. Yashiro had held a very calm and distant attitude as he repeatedly dialed Kyoko and Catherine's numbers with no answer. The only thing that had given the man's nervousness away was the way that his foot had shaken the entire drive over. Even now as Yashiro leaned against Ren's hood with his arms and ankles crossed waiting for news, that foot twitched rapidly.

It was another hour before the four LME men were let inside the house. Sebastian went to make tea while Lory, Ren, and Yashiro stood in the living room to discuss what happened with the detective.

"As far as we can tell, the assailant broke in through one of the bedroom windows and waited for the women to return. He hid in the hallway and attached one of them when she walked past. It looks like she was cut and struggled with him. We found evidence that the girl forced the knife from his hand and it looks like the other girl cracked him in the head with that broken lamp." The detective paused in his speculation while the three men processed what they were told. "From there it gets a little confusing." The detective pointed to the little blood drops that were scattered throughout the house. "We found these droplets in all the rooms. It looks like they searched the house before taping up the wound, packing bags, and leaving." The men exchanged worried glances. "Do you have any idea what is going on?" Lory offered to take the detective back and share everything that his gumshoes had discovered in the time they had been investigating the rumors. He agreed and they were off with Sebastian to the main office.

Ren and Yashiro watched quietly as Lory and the detective left. They were both hoping that the girls would show back up like nothing had happened. The police had found both of their phones on a chair so they knew it was no good to call them. After a few more minutes of waiting for something to happen, Yashiro headed into the kitchen to finish the tea that the quiet servant had started. Ren turned his feet up stairs to the room that Kyoko had been using. He looked over the mess that was left from their speedy departure. The draws were half open and things were dropped to the floor. He quickly sorted it out before lying back on the bed where he had last held the girl. He picked up the Ren doll that sat against her pillow and looked at it. As he studied it he thought about the last night that he had spent with her here. They has spent a long time talking and cuddling before drifting off to a deep and restful sleep.

Ren was pulled from his thoughts by the sounds of movement in the bathroom. He levered himself up to go see what was going on. He found Yashiro gathering up the first aid supplies and repacking them in the box. Ren noticed a slight tremble in the manager's hands as he sorted bandages and tape back into their slots and clicked the kit closed. He pushed the used packages from the counter into the garbage can. Yashiro paused for just a second before picking up the bloodied towel that was dropped to the floor. He stood up clutching the towel. Ren stood in the doorway unsure what to say to the pensive man.

"Catherine will keep her safe." Ren was shocked by the comforting words coming from his withdrawn manager. Yashiro turned to look at his charge. "Come on let's going." Ren stepped back as Yashiro walked out of the bathroom. He followed the man down the steps to find that Yashiro had already picked up the broken lamp and righted the furniture where it had been shifted about in the struggle. Ren could not believe that he had spent that much time lost in thought. Ren followed Yashiro into the kitchen to find that the man had cleared the baked goods the women had made away into the freezer and a shopping bag. He collected the bag and turned to his friend. "Ready?" Ren nodded and they turned to leave. There was nothing more they could do here. Yashiro made sure that the lights were off and locked the door as Ren made his way to the car. Yashiro sat the bag of goodies in the back floorboard and settled himself into seat for the ride back. Ren noticed he still had the bloodied towel clutched in his hand.

"They will both be fine." Ren finally found his voice and something to say to comfort the man next to him. Yashiro nodded and squeezed the towel tighter. Ren went to start the car and laughed. Yashiro turned to see what the man found that was funny. He held out Kyoko's doll that he had unwittingly brought with him. The manager let out a little amused chuckle as Ren sat the doll up on the dashboard so he could see it while he drove.

"They will both be fine." Yashiro repeated Ren's words with a little more natural tone. Ren started the car and they returned to the lives waiting for them. No matter what, in the entertainment industry, the show must go on.

**Author's note:** You didn't think I would let them stay safely hidden away till she got married did you? What fun is that! The plot thickens... dun dun dun.

Thanks for all the great reviews Deets. I know that I can be really mean to the poor cast, but it makes for such good fun. I am going to have to go back and revisit some of these chapters again... oh so much fun.


	71. Chapter 72

Here is the next section. Please let me know what you think,

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Every call that Lory got squeezed his heart. He had been waiting for three days now with no word from Catherine. This one was no different.

"Hello?" Lory waited for his secretary to tell him that Catherine had called.

"I have an officer from the Tokyo police department on the line; she said something about a missing car." The secretary explained.

"Please put them through." Lory sat up in his chair as he hoped for some news on the girls. When the line clicked over he introduced himself.

"Good afternoon sir. I am Miyamoto Yumi. We found an abandoned car registered to your agency." Lory held his breath.

"Could you please describe it to me Miyamoto-san?" Lory heard paper rustle before the woman described the car that Catherine had been using. Lory swallowed hard. "I will have someone pick it up right away. Could you please tell me where it is?" The officer informed him that it had been towed, but she told him where they had found it. Lory thanked the woman and hung up. He changed out of his cosplay outfit, he was dressed as a French Lord, and into something less conspicuous. He needed to be more serious for the task that he was about to undertake. He called his secretary and informed her that he would be out for a bit and left via the backdoor of the building.

It only took him about twenty minutes to locate the place where Catherine had abandoned the car. He stood in the parking lot and looked around to see where the two girls might have gone from here. They could not have gotten far without transportation. He walked two blocks down one side of the street before crossing and heading back the other side of the road. There were a lot of shops here, but nothing that looks like a safe place for the girls to hide out. He studied the shops as he walked looking for anything that might give him some idea where he could find his missing LoveMe member. He stopped in front of one that disturbed him and pulled open the door open. His eyes took in the motorcycles on display. He walked straight to the counter and rang the bell. A young man stepped out from the back and smiled at the man.

"How can I help you today?" He could tell that Lory had money.

"I am looking for some friends of mine that may have stopped in here within the last few days." Lory pulled a picture of the two women out and showed it to the sales rep. "Have you seen these two women?" The salesman's smile slipped a little as she took the picture and looked at it. He knew he was not going to make a sale from this man today.

"No I haven't seen them." Lory's hopes fell when the man answered. "But let me check with everyone else." Lory perked back up as the man disappeared into the office. A few minutes later he came back with an older man in tow. This man looked as if he had spent a lot of his life working and riding motorcycles.

"Are you looking for these two girls?" The man scrutinized Lory trying to see if he was trust worth. Lory stood taller and answered him.

"Yes, these two work for me and I am worried about their safety." Lory met the rugged man's eyes.

"What's your name?" The old biker asked suspiciously.

"Takarada Lory." Lory pulled himself to his full height and tugged his jacket down into place. The old man smiled broadly at the president.

"She said you would be stopping by looking for them." Relief flooded the worried president. Someone had seen the missing girl.

"Do you know where they are?" He asked. The old man shook his head.

"The tall blonde bought a touring bike and all of the gear for cold weather riding and they two left." The biker told him. "They paid cash and asked us not to tell anyone they were here unless it was Takarada Lory." Lory nodded at this information. "She also told me to tell you that they were ok and that they would see you after Christmas." Lory smiled with the knowledge that the girls were safe.

"Thank you." Lory bowed to the man and left. His heart was lighter knowing that they were well. Now all he had to do was tell the guys.

Ren and Yashiro had both poured themselves into their work to take their mind off what they did not know. Lory had kept the actress' disappearance a secret to keep the rumors from spreading, and they had both slipped behind their masks to deal with life. If anyone noticed anything about the pair, it was that Yashiro was quieter then he usually was, and they both keep looking around like they were expecting something.

Yashiro sat pouring over Ren's schedule as they drove to the next job. He jumped a little when his phone went off in his pocket. He slipped his gloves on and answered the phone. For the first day he had hoped that each call would be news of the girls, but he had forced himself to stop so that he would not have that sinking feeling when it turned out to be work.

"Hai" Yashiro spoke into the phone.

"I have news." Yashiro looked up and froze when Lory's voice crackled through the line.

"You found them?" Ren turned at the hope in his manager's voice.

"No, they are still missing, but we did find their car." Ren could see the disappointment in Yashiro's face and found a place to park. He was not able to concentrate on driving when there was possible news of the girls.

"And?" Yashiro's voice still held hope that the girls were ok.

"I talked with the owner of a motorcycle shop where Catherine and Kyoko bought a touring bike and supplies before leaving." Lory explained. Ren hung onto the steering wheel waiting as Yashiro nodded his head as he listened. Lory went on. "He said that Catherine asked him to tell me that they were all right and would see us around Christmas." Yashiro let out the breath that he was holding as the knot in his chest loosened. He thanked his boss and hung up the phone.

"And?" Ren asked, he could not take it anymore. He could see the relief in his manager's eyes when he turned to answer the actor.

"They are both ok." Ren relaxed a little at his managers words. "Catherine bought a motorcycle and took off with Kyoko. She left a message with the shop owner that they would be back at Christmas." Ren let out a cleansing breath. He was glad to hear that they were both ok even if they were not near him. He was oddly comforted by the fact that if they were on the run, they were not going to be an easy target to hit. Yashiro flipped open his planer and counted the days till the girls would return.

"Just a little over four weeks." The manager informed the actor. Ren nodded and returned the car to traffic before their stop made him late. Both men returned to their work with lighter hearts knowing that the ones they loved were alive and well.

**Author's Note**: Thanks for the info on contacts **Deets**. I have never had them(eyes are too sensitive to get them), but I figured that Ren would not have the right stuff to put them in, so water was the best I could come up with. I know people that swim and sleep in their contacts and rarely ever wash their hands before putting them in. I even had one friend that would take his contacts out and suck on them when they iritated him and he did not have his eye drops... EEEWWWWW. I would not suggest it. *shudders*

And to **Hanzap109.** Thank you for the complement. I also feel that my writing has gotten better as this story has gone on. It had been a long time since I wrote ANYTHING so this has been quite a good experance for me. And I don't have supper typing skills, if anything I am a slow type. I just started out with over 65k words writen before I put up my first post.I really had not planed on sharing this with anyone except my sister. I also like to keep well ahead of where I am posting so that if I run into a snag in the storyline, I can always go back and change things up to smooth it out. If I post all the way up to where I am writing, it ties me into something that may not have been as good as it could have been. That is also why there are days that I will get 2 or more posts up at one time. Truthfully I have not writen much of anything in the last three days due to work, but is did find the time to clean and check chapters so there would be fresh up. I hate waiting a long time to get updates. When I reach the end and am happy with it, I will probably mass dump the last chapters. It just depends on how fast I can get them checked over.


	72. Chapter 73

Not really having a good day writing.. I have scrapped everything I have done since I got up this morning... Maybe if I put up another chapter I will get some good karma and ideas will flow better. I hope you all enjoy it. Please let me know

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Ren had dropped Yashiro off at LME so that he could finish up some paperwork while the actor went home to rest. It had been another long day as they prepared for Ren to take the first of the year off to spend with his new bride. They were going to fix the paperwork before hand and have a public wedding later. Lory had already started the planning, but was waiting for the girls to show back up before finalizing all of the details. He figured that they could have the invitations made and sent as soon as they agreed on a date. He had even picked out the flowers and the dresses for the bridesmaids, but he needed the bride to tell him who those would be and who she wanted to invite.

Yashiro caught the last train home and was closing on his building when he heard a voice that made him pause. He shook himself and started on his way again. He had been hearing Catherine's voice calling to him in his mind since they disappeared three weeks ago.

"Yuki!" This time the voice was harder and hinted with a little annoyance. He turned to find where the sound was coming from. Catherine had just stepped into the light from an ally way dressed in a black leather jacket. He rubbed his eyes to clear the illusions but she was still there smiling at him.

"Catherine?" He asked the apparition. When she smiled and nodded he approached her not really believing it. His heart sang as he pulled her into a tight hug to make sure that she was real. "Where have you been?" Yashiro's mind snapped to an important fact and he pushed her back so he could see her face. "Where's Kyoko." Catherine gave him a calm, yet sad smile.

"She's fine." Yashiro could tell that there was something wrong with the girl as she continued. "Listen, can we go inside to discuss this." Catherine looked at the open but empty street.

"Of course." Yashiro released her and turned so he could get his keys out. He let out a muffled yell when the woman's arms grasped him from behind and pressed a very thick, chemical covered cloth to his face. As the Ether stole his consciousness away he relaxed into her arms. Catherine kissed the side of Yashiro's head and apologized to his now limp form as she dragged him deeper into the darkened ally.

Kyoko opened the door after checking to make sure that it was Catherine that had knocked. She had been pacing the room for the last hour waiting for her friend to return. Catherine closed the door and looked at the worried actress.

"Are you ready?" Catherine asked. Kyoko waffled on her decision. She understood the reasons behind what they were going to do, but she was still worried about the repercussions thereof. Catherine could see the actress' indecision. "If you want to stay here, I'll go by myself." Kyoko shook her head.

"No this is something that we decided to do together, so we go together." Kyoko firmed up her resolve.

"But it was my idea." Catherine pushed her to make sure she was solid. Once they left this room, there was no going back.

"True, but you're doing this for me." Kyoko and Catherine locked eyes and they both set their minds to the task at hand.

"Alright, then let's go." Catherine picked up their bags and led Kyoko out.

Ren sat on his living room floor looking through the scrip for tomorrow's recording. The director had made several changes and he was trying to stuff them in his head, but his heart really was not in it. He looked at the little doll of himself sitting on the chair and wondered where the girls were tonight. He had tormented himself every night with that same question since he heard the girls had gotten a motorbike. Winter was not the best time to travel on bike, but with the right equipment, it would not be too bad. Ren had just laid back on the floor to stretch the muscles of his back out when he heard a knock on his door. He could just see down the hallway to the source of the noise when it sounded again. Ren pulled himself up and went to see who could be calling on him so late at night. He nearly tore the door off the hinges when he peeked through the hole and saw his love standing there in Catherine's fedora.

"Kyoko!" The name was barely past his lips when a heavy weight hit him in the sternum and he stumbled backwards. He had not expected the attack from the woman standing next to his love. The two women rushed into the room after him. Kyoko closed the door while Catherine made another advance on the tall actor. Ren did not know what was going on and instinctively took up a fighting stance as Catherine lunged at him again. He dodged her attack and swung her around and into the living room. His mind reeled as he tried to come up with an explanation as to why this was happening. Catherine did not give him a chance to think as she rushed him again. When he dodged her, she managed to get his arm and flip him over to the ground. His instincts kicked in and he slammed his foot up into her stomach and tossed her up and off of him. Ren's glass coffee table shattered as Catherine's weight came crashing down on top of it. It was the squeal from Kyoko that distracted him long enough for Catherine to get up and throw herself at him as he tried to right himself. The extra weight on his unstable position knocked him back to the floor with her on top of him. Now that she had the advantage, she hit him with a well-placed blow that knocked his consciousness from him.

"Catherine! Are you alright?" Kyoko rushed to the woman getting up from the unconscious actor. Kyoko looked down at the busted table. She was glad that Catherine had kept the heavy leather jacket on, or she would have been cut up badly by the broken glass. Catherine moved to stretch her muscles so that they would not cramp up. She still had things to do.

"Ya, I will be fine." She looked at the lightly bleeding scratches at her wrist before rubbed her stomach where Ren had kicked her. Kyoko watched the action with concern.

"Are you sure?" Catherine gave the actress a very stern look.

"What's done is done. Now let's get him tied up before he wakes up." Kyoko pulled some heavy plastic zip ties from her pocket and the two girls bound Ren's hands and feet with them. Catherine then placed tape over his mouth to keep him from yelling for help. Kyoko pulled a tissue from her pocket and stretched a piece of the tape across it and the minor cut on Catherine's wrist so that she would not get blood on everything. Now that their actor could not get away and Catherine's wound was taken care of, the two girls turned to the task at hand and proceeded to tear the actor's bedroom apart till they found what they needed stuck in the very bottom of his sock drawer. Catherine slipped the thin blue book into her pocket and the girls went back out to attend to their captive. Between the two girls, they rolled the limp actor over and levered him up enough to get him on Catherine's shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"God he's heavy." Catherine groaned and she pushed herself up. Kyoko helped to stabilize her until she could find her feet under her. "What have you been feeding him?" Kyoko giggled nervously at the joke as she tossed a blanket over the tall actor to try to hide him. It did not work very well, his feet stuck out one end and his hands out the other. The two women made their way out of the apartment with their captive. Catherine bounced along the wall trying to stay up right as Kyoko checked the stairwell to make sure no one was there. It would have been easier to use the elevator, but the chances of running into someone were greater.

Ren woke up to a soft swaying motion and Kyoko's voice. A pounding head ache was starting to rage and his stomach was hurting where something was digging into it. He remained limp trying to process what was going on.

"Are you sure you should be carrying him." He could hear the concern in Kyoko's voice. Memories of what just happened flooded into his head as he felt Catherine's voice vibrate through his body.

"Don't worry about that now. We just need to get out of here before someone calls the cops." Catherine pushed away the girl's concern.

"But, it could hurt you." Kyoko fussed. He felt the girl carrying him bump into the wall again as she turned the corner on the steps.

"If the kick to the stomach didn't hurt me, then carrying his fat butt down the stairs will be fine." He could hear the humor in the woman's voice as she stopped before the doorway to the parking garage. "Check the door to make sure it's clear." Kyoko pushed the door open and checked.

"Clear." Kyoko held the door open as Catherine slipped through with her burden. Kyoko released the door and it swung shut faster than Catherine was moving and smacked the actor in the head. Ren grunted in pain, but remained unmoving. "I AM SO SORRY!" He had to smile at Kyoko's apology. He went slack again when she flipped the blanket up to check to make sure he was ok. When she could not find any injury, she pulled the blanket back down and patted it into place. He felt Catherine try a shrug under him.

"What's a little concussion after what we just did?" Catherine laughed. Horror filled Kyoko's face at her manager's words.

"That's horrible." Kyoko fussed as the two girls made their way to the waiting car.

"And what we just did is not." Catherine raised an eyebrow at the girl. Kyoko did not reply. "Open the back door please." Kyoko stopped with her hand on the trunk latch.

"The back door?" She asked. Catherine looked at her from under the weight of the pretending man.

"Unless you really WANT to stuff him in the trunk." Kyoko moved to open the passenger's back door for her. Ren felt Catherine bend over and gently place his butt on the seat of the car. He felt Kyoko hand against his head so that they would not smack it again on the frame of the door. He remained limp as the two girls carefully loaded him into the car. It took Kyoko getting in on the other side to pull him by the shoulders before they were able to get his massive frame crammed into the back seat of the car. Once he was in, they covered him over with the blanket and drove off.

**Author's note**.. now I hope I can get back into my groove and pump out the rest of the story... wish me good luck.


	73. Chapter 74

Thanks **Manga Ren**. Woke up this morning with some great ideas.

Of couse **Deets**, what fun would it have been for them to wait a few weeks, arrest the mother, and then get married.. no pizzazz in that. Got to add a little termoil to make life intresting.

I hope you all enjoy it.

And we continue!

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Ren listened to his captives talking softly as he remained still under the blanket. The position that they put him in was not very comfortable, but he wanted to see if he could figure out what was going on.

"Are you sure you did not get hurt?" Kyoko asked Catherine again.

"Yes, I am sure I am fine." Catherine answered for the tenth time since they got into the car. "Don't worry about it." Catherine tried to make the girl stop worrying.

"But…" Kyoko started, but Catherine cut her off.

"We don't even know for sure." Ren could hear the annoyance in her voice. "Plus you promised not to mention it to anyone." Now he could hear the determination in her voice.

"But…" Kyoko tried again.

"Please Kyoko, it's important." Catherine fell to begging the girl. Kyoko was silent for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. They drove on in silence while Ren tried to figure out what the girls were keeping secret.

Ren sent up a silent prayer to whatever deity was listening when Catherine turned off the car. He had not wanted to alert the girls that he was awake so he hadn't moved since they packed him in the seat and he was starting to hurt. He had turned his mind to the situation and why they had kidnapped him. He would gladly have gone with them if they had asked. There was no reason to get violent about it. He also puzzled on the odd thumps that issued from the seat every now and then, but he could not think what could cause it.

"Let's see if we can get him inside." Catherine got out of the car and popped the door by the actor's head. She grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him from the car. Kyoko quickly cupped his legs to her hip at the knees so that his feet would not hit the ground. Ren thought about fighting back, but his curiosity made him remain limp and let the two girls manhandle him. Catherine supported his weight on her thigh and banged on the door of the small house. A man opened it and the two girls finessed the heavy actor inside. They laid him down on the living room rug and Kyoko snatched a pillow from the couch for his head.

"I know you told me that you were going to bring some friends over, but you did not tell me that I would have the Ren Tsuruga tied up in my living room. Man Kitty, you're always full of surprises." The owner of the house spoke to his friend in English as he took in the scene. Catherine stood up and gave the man a hug and spoke in English back to him.

"Well Con, you wouldn't love us if we didn't add spice to your life." He laughed at her. "Come give me a hand." They left Kyoko to tend Ren. They came back in a few minutes later with a very mad and struggling Yashiro. They managed to get him over to the floor next to Ren before they dropped him. Kyoko looked at the manager in surprise. Yashiro was rumpled and missing his glasses, but he recognized Kyoko when he rolled away from his captors.

"Where did he come from?" Kyoko asked. Yashiro begged Kyoko with his eyes to help him.

"The trunk." Catherine responded nonchalantly as she squatted next to him. She tried to place a hand on his shoulder but he flinched away. He kept looking to Kyoko to save him from the crazy woman behind him. It broke her heart, but she backed away and let Kyoko help the man to sit up. He glared daggers at the woman that he had loved as she took a seat on a stool across the room from him. The stocky man handed her a mug and she thanked him in English. She watched the two captives for a few moments as she sipped her coffee. Kyoko sat by her love petting his hair and waiting for him to wake up.

"Ren, I know I did not hit you that hard." Catherine finally gave up waiting him out. "Quit faking so we can talk." On that note, he sat up and turned questioning eyes to the woman. Kyoko gasped at the actor, she was sure that he was still unconscious. Catherine let out a deep sigh and sat her coffee on the counter and went to squat in front of the two men. "Now if you both promise not to cause a fuss, we will untie you." Ren nodded and Yashiro glared at her for a long moment till he nodded quickly too. Catherine reached up and pulled the tape as carefully as she could from Ren's mouth. He grumbled at the pain as she reached over and pulled the tape off Yashiro's mouth too. The two captives worked the pain from there face while Catherine dropped herself to the floor in a bow.

"Now before you rip me up, please let me apologize for kidnapping you and explain." Catherine held her spot on the floor as Kyoko moved over and joined her. Even though they were still tied up, the apology calmed the men's anger as curiosity took over.

"What's going on?" Ren asked to the girls on the floor. Catherine sat up and looked at him seriously.

"We kidnapped you." She explained.

"I figured that." Ren continued. "We would have come quietly if you asked." Catherine pulled a pair of wire snips out of her pocket and proceeded to free the actor's limbs.

"I know that, but it would not serve our purpose for you to come quietly." Catherine explained as she freed Yashiro. The manager rubbed the angry red line on his wrists where the ties had cut in. "We needed you to struggle." Catherine explained. The two captives looked at the girl as if she lost her mind. Catherine pulled Yashiro's glasses from her inside coat pocket and offered them up to him. He took them and put them on so he could see.

"Why?" Yashiro asked as he folded his legs under him and rubbed where the ties had cut into his ankles. Catherine returned her clippers to her jacket pocket and looked at the two men.

"So Lory does not think you ran off when you don't show up for work tomorrow." Both of the men listened to Catherine as she explained the harebrained scheme. "As we traveled around the country, I came to the conclusion that if someone was going to try to get a hit in on Kyoko, they would do it when we tried to come back to LME at her birthday." The men agreed with this. "So to keep that from happening, we came up with the idea of getting her married and having Lory send a copy of the marriage certificate to Kyoko's mother and the insurance company. This should take away any reason that she would want Kyoko dead." The young actress had sat up and was very depressed at her manager's words. Ren's itched with the need to hold the girl he loved in his arms, but he needed to understand why Catherine had chosen this path.

"So you kidnapped me?" Ren asked as he turned it over in his mind. Catherine nodded. "So I would have an excuse to take time off to get married?" Catherine nodded again. "And you attached us to make it look real?" Catherine nodded one more time. "Do you know how pissed Lory is going to be when we do get back?" Catherine nodded her head again.

"I'm probably not going to be on his list of favorite people." Catherine chuckled. "But this way, it's only me on his bad girl list, not you." Ren chuckled at this. Yashiro sat thinking about his part in this play.

"Why did you kidnap me?" He asked, he could not see how he fit in. Catherine turned sad eyes to him.

"We needed to get the card to get into Ren's apartment building from you." She felt bad about drugging him. "I couldn't just leave you asleep in that ally." Kyoko turned wide eyes to her manager; she had not asked how she got the card for Ren's building. Yashiro let out an exasperated sigh.

"And what's to make Lory think that I was not in on this?" Yashiro rubbed his eyes to ease the pain that the ether had left in his head.

"Well, I kind of tossed your apartment." Catherine admitted sheepishly. Yashiro put his glasses back on and stared at the woman wide eyed.

"You did what?" He exclaimed.

"Well I had to find your Inkan." Catherine explained. "You will need it to witness the marriage." Yashiro let out a loud squee as joy rushed through the man. He would get to sign his favorite couple's marriage certificate! It almost made up for the entire drugging thing. Ren chuckled at the man's joy. Ren turned the plan over in his mind. If they could pull it off, it would be perfect. They had just over a week till Kyoko's birthday, but there were a lot of things that had to be done between now and then. Ren saw a few flaws in her plans.

"There are some problems with this." Ren pointed out. Catherine turned her attention to him. "Where are we going to hide out, and what about the paperwork?" Catherine smiled at him.

"We are not going to 'hide'." Ren looked at her confused. "There is too much stuff to get done to go into hiding." Catherine went on. "The easiest way to get everything that needs doing done, is for you to resume being who you are for a bit." Ren blanched at her suggestion. For him to go back to being Kuon meant leaving his disguise behind and telling people the truth. Yashiro sat quietly as he took in the meaning of her words. There was the possibility that he would find out who Ren really was. "I'm not suggesting you announce it all of Japan, but there is some paperwork that you are going to have to go fill out in person, and it would raise questions if you go in as Tsuruga Ren." Ren stopped to think about that. He had been so busy worrying about Kyoko that he had not even looked into how to get married in Japan.

"You have a point." Ren reluctantly agreed with you. "What do you suggest?" He considered Catherine very carefully.

"Well, for started, why don't you bring Yashiro-san up to speed, and we will go make something to eat." Pain shot through Yashiro's heart when the girl he loved called him so formally. Even though she had treated him so badly, he did not want that distance between them. He watched with sad eyes as Catherine and Kyoko dropped their coat off on the couch and went to join the man in the kitchen. A bolt of jealousy hit him when Catherine bumped into the man and he wrapped his arm around her in a comforting squeeze. Yashiro seethed as Catherine dropped her head to his shoulder and let out a deep breath before following Kyoko into the kitchen. The man turned a look to Yashiro that was almost disappointment before shaking his head and following the two girls into the kitchen. Yashiro was shocked from his anger by the man's actions. What could he have meant by that? The manager turned to face his charge so that Ren could fill him in.

"So, what's going on?"


	74. Chapter 75

You want more? Ok here you go.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Yashiro listened excitedly for a long time as Ren unraveled the enigma that he had come to see his friend as. Once the pieces were all laid out for him, Yashiro had no problem fitting them together. No matter how farfetched Ren's story sounded, it made perfect sense to his manager. He finally had the answers for all those odd quirks and questions that Ren left him pondering. Once the two men had come to terms, they picked themselves up from the floor to go see what the girls were cooking. The stocky stranger was leaning against the far wall of the kitchen chatting with the girls in broken Japanese and English when the two men step around the corner. He grunted to get the girls' attention and nodded towards the new arrivals.

"We all good?" Catherine asked.

"Ya." Ren informed her. He was still concerned about the unnamed man at the far end of the room. Somehow, he was oddly familiar to the tall actor, like he had seen him before. Catherine caught the look in his eye and turned to look at the stranger Ren was watching.

"Oh don't worry about him." Catherine reassured the actor and put down the knife she had been using. "I haven't gotten the chance to properly introduce you." She wiped her hands on a towel and turned away from the counter. "This is Brian Con. He's my brother-in-law." Yashiro perked up to hear that the man was somehow related to his love. The man stood up to greet his guests. "Con this it Yashiro Yukihito and Hizuri Kuon, professional known as Tsuruga Ren." Ren blanched as she used his real name to introduce him. Con came over to the men to shake their hands as Catherine explained him. "Con is a navy nuke stationed aboard the USS George Washington and has kindly allowed us to use his home." Ren took the man's hand and shook it warily. "I can promise you that he will not say a word to anyone."

"How can you be so sure?" Ren asked. Catherine gave him a smile filled with deviousness.

"Cause if he whispers it to a soul, I will tell my sister." Con blanched at the threat. He swallowed down his fear and nodded.

"You have my word." The seaman agreed in the best Japanese that he could muster. Both Yashiro and Ren were surprised at the fear the sailor showed at the threat of his wife.

"So where is your sister?" Yashiro asked looking around for the woman. Catherine turned back to her cooking now that the men were introduced.

"Currently, she is at sea." Catherine shrugged as she arranged the strawberries she was cutting onto the cake. "She is a nuke aboard the USS George H W Bush." Ren kept turning over where he had seen the man before. The mention of her sister brought back the pictures on the entertainment center in her living room. Now it made more sense.

About that time, Kyoko announced that dinner was done, and Con pulled out the dished they would need. Kyoko dished up portions for everyone and they took their meal out to the table. Since there was not enough seat for everyone at the table, Con perched himself upon a stool near the counter. They ate to the sounds of Kyoko's excited tales of where they had been over the last few weeks. She only paused in her story to take bites and to scold Ren into eating more. To Yashiro's surprise, she also scolded Catherine for not eating enough. The older woman gave a very pointed look, but finished the food on her plate. When dinner was done, their host took away the plates so that Kyoko could finish her tale of their trip around Japan via motorbike.

"We stayed in all kinds of cool places, from hot springs to hotels." Kyoko bubbled on. Ren hung on every word that passed the girl's lips. For being in danger, they had a really great time, and he wanted to take her on a trip like that after they were married. Yashiro listened to the tale, but his eyes were on the older woman adding tidbits in occasionally. She was smiling, but she seemed very sad to him. When Kyoko finished her tale, Ren took her hand and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles affectionately.

"I've missed you." He admitted to the girl as he stood up and pulled her to her feet. Kyoko blushed as he rolled her up in his arms and held her tightly to him.

"I missed you too," Kyoko admitted to the chest she was pressed into. Slowly Ren pulled her back and leaned into her for a soft kiss. He did not care if they had an audience; his self-control could not take having her this close again and not kissing her. Yashiro smiled at the affection and turned to Catherine quietly standing up from the table. She was smiling happily at the embracing pair, but he could have sworn he saw a tear roll down her cheek as she turned into the kitchen. He got up to follow and find out what was wrong with the girl.

He found her by the counter next to her brother-in-law. The man had wrapped an arm around her shoulders and was giving her a comforting hug. It was the same embrace that he had seen from the floor in the living room. He was muttering to her in soft English, but it was too low for Yashiro to hear. The manager cleared his throat to make his presences known and Con pulled away from the woman to look at him. Yashiro caught the quick motion of Catherine wiping her cheeks as she turned her attention to the cake on the counter top. Con watched him with guarded eyes as he passed by him to leave the room.

"Hey Yashiro-san." Catherine greeted him without really looking at him. Yashiro came to stand in the place the sailor had just left.

"What's wrong Catherine?" He spoke softly to her.

"Forgive me, I'm just emotional right now." Catherine wiped away another tear that leaked out and started to cut the cake up. She was stopped when Yashiro placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to look at him. When she would not raise her head, he pushed up her chin so she was forced to look him in the eyes. He looked into her red rimmed eyes and could see the pain she held there.

"What's wrong?" He asked again. Catherine let out a sigh that made her shudder. Yashiro let his hand slip away from her as she looked down and stepped in against him. He wrapped his arms around her as she spoke into his chest.

"I am sorry." She started. "I was sure after everything that I have done, you would not forgive me." Yashiro tightened his hold on the distressed girl and rested his head on hers. He felt her wrap her arms up his back.

"Of course I will forgive you silly girl." He squished her in his arms as he felt her relax against him. He pulled her back so he could see her eyes. "Now stop all this foolishness ok." Catherine nodded.

"Ok Yuki." Yashiro leaned forward and captured the lips that had just formed his name. He loved the way it sounded coming from her. When they finally pulled apart, Catherine's tears were gone and Yashiro helped her serve up the cake. He noticed when she ran her hand across her stomach before picking up the plates to take out to the table.

"Are you ok?" He wondered if dinner was not sitting well with her. She nodded her head.

"I just hurt where Ren kicked me." Catherine led the way to the table.

"Kicked you?" Yashiro asked in shock. He could not see his friend kicking a girl.

"Only because I attacked him." She explained so he would not get mad.

"Attacked him!" Yashiro's eyes widened.

"How else do you think I managed to subdue him?" Catherine smiled at him. He was suddenly glad that she had used ether on him.

It was late by the time that dessert was done so Con pulled out the extra futon and blankets that he had. Catherine has supplied them all with comfy clothing to sleep in. After his guests had changed and they had everything they needed, the sailor excused himself to bed. He had duty tomorrow and needed to be up very early. Catherine thanked him again with a hug before he left for bed. It was quickly decided that Kyoko and Ren should take the futon and Catherine and Yashiro would sleep on the couch together. Both areas would make cramped sleeping spaced for the two couples, but at least Ren could stretch out on the futon.

Ren was in heaven as he laid face down on the living room floor while Kyoko straddled his hips as she rubbed the aches from his back. He had complained that the fight and the ride in the car had given him cramps so Kyoko had made the tall actor lay on the futon for a good rubbing. He had wanted to take off his shirt so that he could feel her hands kneading his body better, but with the other couple in the room, he was sure that would make her too embarrassed. He dreamt of the not too distant future where she could do this for him with a lot less clothing on. He groaned as her fingers hit a particularly sore spot and he added massage oil to the list of things he was going to take on their honeymoon.

When she had finished working his back over, she pulled his shirt back into place and stood up off from his back. Ren let out a sigh as her weight lifted from him and she laid their blanket over top of him. He grew a little cross with the girl when she settled herself down on top of the covers next to him, but all it took was a quick movement for him to pull back the covers and capture the girl in his arms. She squeaked her protests, but he shushed her and nodded to the pair on the couch. Kyoko settled into to her fate quietly as she watched the quiet managers. Yashiro was on his back while Catherine laid face down on his chest. She could see little movements of the blanket as Yashiro gently rubbed the sore muscles in Catherine's back. Catherine deep even breathing showed that she was either asleep or very relaxed. Kyoko decided that it would be best if she went to sleep to. And after a soft kiss from the man that loved her, she drifted off to sleep in his warm arms.

**Author's note:** I just had to add some fluff in, the last few chapters were way too serious.


	75. Chapter 76

GERRRR.. I hate having writers block.. I have not writen a (insert bad discriptive word, posibly with an 'f' as the first letter, here) thing today.. Maybe if I send out another chapter I can get some good karma and something briliant will come to me.. I would settal for something that was not garbage... I am tired of staring at the same blank screen. I have a 12 hour drive to Chicago tomorrow, so maybe I can think up something good.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next section.

Please let me know what you think. Thank you.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Lory sat on his couch trying to decide what the best course of action would be. Should he have the girl pinch the sleeping guy's nose, kiss him, or pet his hair? He had been up all night trying to get this couple together when he was interrupted by his phone.

"Hai." He called into the receiver.

"Takarada-san, we have a problem." Lory lowered his controller so that he could give the distressed voice on the phone his attention.

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

"Well, Tsuruga-san was supposed to have been here half an hour ago and has not shown up yet." Lory recognized the voice of the director for Ren's current drama. "We have tried to call both him and his manager, but there is no answer on either line." Lory dropped his controller in his rush to get up from the couch. Something had to be terrible wrong for them not to be able to get a hold of either Ren or Yashiro.

"Thank you." Lory huffed into the phone as he ran to get dressed. "I will look into it immediately." Lory was already in his closet and halfway into the first outfit he laid his hands on when he hung up with the director and called Sebastian to have his car brought around. Lory, now clad as a member of a biker gang, grabbed the keys for both of the men's homes and ran out to jump into the waiting car as he tried to dial the missing actor's phone. Terror clutched at his heart as the phone went straight to voice mail. He tried Yashiro's phone with the same results. His heart sunk more and more with each passing call that went unanswered.

He prayed as he waited for the elevator that the actor and his manager had both just over sleep with dead batteries in their phones. His hand trembled as he slipped Ren's key into the lock and opened the door. He was on the phone to the police as soon as he saw the shattered glass table in Ren's living room. His eyes had found tiny droplets of blood among the glass. Lory turned to the bedroom while he waited for the police to arrive. He was shocked to see the mess that the assailants had made of them man's room. It was strange because it didn't look like they took anything. Lory looked around at all the valuables that were just sitting out. All of Ren's jewelry and his wallet were sitting on the countertop. His phone and lap top were still here. There was even money spilt across the floor. Lory could not think of what Ren's attackers were looking for, than it hit him. Lory walked to the drawer that Ren had told him that he kept his other identity in. Lory slid it out and dumped the contents on the floor. Kuon's passport was missing. Lory suddenly had an idea about who could have stolen away his actor, and if he was right, she was going to be in a world of trouble when he got his hands on her.

Catherine woke up when a shiver ran up her spine. She felt that someone had just cursed her, and he was pretty sure she could guess who it was. Yashiro patted her back soothing and she relaxed onto his chest for a while longer. She laid listening to his heart and watching the cute couple on the floor cuddle together. She could just see Kyoko's hair sticking out of where she was wrapped in the much larger actor. After a few minutes, she wiggled up carefully so as to not hurt the man under her and laid a kiss to his warm lips before slipping into the cool morning air to take care of more basic needs. Yashiro watched her tiptoe past the sleeping actors and disappear down the hall. He decided at that moment that he always wanted to wake up with her in his arms.

Ren woke up to the sounds of the couch holding the two managers creaking as Catherine got up to go to the bathroom. He breathed in the girl in his arms and wished they could stay like his forever. Sometime in the night, he had slipped his hand inside her shirt and it now rested on the soft skin between her shoulders. He knew that if she woke up with his hand there, she would probably freak out, but he just could not bring himself to move it. He cuddled her against him just a little tighter. She moaned lightly and wiggled into him a little more. The feel of her burying herself into his chest and the way her legs rubbed against his where they were tangled pushed him to his limits. If it had not been for the man awake on the couch nearby, he would have shown the young woman more exciting uses for a futon. Ren took a deep breath and counted to 100 as he pulled his hand out of the girl's shirt before he could not control himself anymore. He was sure that he was going to NEED a very long cold shower this morning.

Catherine came back from the bathroom and looked at the two actors cuddled on the floor. She knelt down near him and whispered into his ear.

"You awake?" The slight nod of his head answered her question. "Good, I'm going to make breakfast. Don't take a shower yet." Ren sighed as the manager took away the relief that he was looking forward to. He nodded in agreement. She stood and walked softly over to Yashiro's head. She placed a kiss on his lips and ruffled his hair before disappearing into the kitchen to work on food for the group. Yashiro got up and followed the woman into the kitchen. Ren relaxed with his love as he listened to the lovers in the kitchen giggle while making food.

Kyoko finally woke up to the smell of bacon cooking. She breathed in the delicious smell and got the warm sent of the man wrapped around her with it. She stretched and opened her eyes to look into his brown ones. She smiled at him.

"Good morning beautiful." He whispered to her. She giggled and wiggled. His breath caught as she moved against him. She had no idea that her movements were driving him closer and closer to the edge. She blushed as he squeezed her against him to make her stop moving. Her blush deepened as she became vividly aware of the man's body against her, the softness of his skin and the harness of his muscles. She scolded herself for the thoughts that raced through her mind as she hid her face into his chest. She did not know how she was going to face him after she had just undressed him with her mind. Ren felt her go still in his arms and recognized that she had reached her breaking point; he needed to pull away before he scared her off after making so much progress with her. He hated to do it but he pushed the girl back and placed a light kiss on her lips before getting up and excusing himself to the bathroom.

Kyoko laid on the futon feeling the warmth that Ren had left dissipate in the colder air. She was trying to sort out her feelings and thoughts. She loved being in his arms, but her own thoughts had taken her to a place that she was not sure if she was ready to go. She finally decided to file it away for further thought later and get up to see if she could help with breakfast. When she turned the corner into the kitchen, she immediately blushed and backpedaled so she would not interrupt the scene taking place in the kitchen. All she had really seen was Yashiro wrapped around her manager kissing her deeply with his hand up the back of her shirt. She quickly decided that the best thing for her to do was to fold up the bedding and wait for Ren to come back from the bathroom.

**Authors note:** Thank you **ai phing**, as I have gone back and reread this story, I can also see how the writing has changed for the better. I have to admit, this is the first thing that I have writen out side of letters in about 10 years... I guess my creative writing skills just needed to be broken loose and oiled again.


	76. Chapter 77

Here is your morning update. Enjoy. I am off for a LONG drive, maybe I can come up with something good.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!**

The four friends finally sat down to a breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Kyoko was having a hard time looking at any one in the room. Her mind kept flipping back to the things she saw and felt this morning. She was a little disappointed when Catherine opted to nibble on a piece of toast with some marmalade on it. When she fussed that the woman needed to eat better, Catherine fussed back that toast was all her stomach could handle this morning and promised to eat better later. Ren and Yashiro were surprised when this worked and Kyoko let the woman nibble on her toast with the addition of some juice. Ren filed this way to try on Kyoko at another time as he ate his breakfast under Kyoko's watchful eye.

Catherine finished her toast and licked the last of the marmalade from her fingers before considering the three people in front of her. There was a lot to do and not a lot of time to get it done in. She could see that they were almost done with their breakfasts too, so now would be the best time to get things started.

"I will give you all the option to back out of this right now." Catherine started and all eyes turned to her. "If you want to leave now and go face Lory, I will not stop you." Both Yashiro and Ren blanched at the thought. They were sure that Lory would skin them alive if they came back right now. He was probably very pissed and ready to string them up. They had not turned on the TV, but they were sure that Ren's absence and abduction would be the main topic on the news this morning. They agreed that it would be best to give Lory a chance to calm down before they headed back. Then he would be happy and relieved to see them instead of furious. Both men shook their heads and Catherine laughed.

"So what do we do now?" Kyoko asked. Catherine had explained part of it to get her to agree to the crazy idea, but she did not know the logistics of how it would work. Catherine took a long pull from her juice before getting up and heading into the living room. She picked up a large box and carried it back into the dining room. She plopped it into her chair. She got a knife from the utility draw and cut open the tape and started unloading several items from its depths. Ren studied the outside of the box and caught the handwriting and airmail labels on the outside.

"Is this from… my parents?" Ren asked. Catherine smiled at him.

"Your mother helped me get thing together while we were traveling." She admitted to the cunning woman's help. Ren looked shocked at her.

"She knew you were going to kidnap me?" Ren asked in shock, he could not see his mother agreeing to what happened to them last night.

"Not exactly." Catherine acted a little ashamed of herself. "I told her about the rest of the plan and she sent me everything I would need to make sure it happened." She continued to pull things out of the box till she got to the hair dye. "Here it is!" Ren looked at the boxes. There was blond, black, and red. "Who wants to go first?" Kyoko volunteered and the two girls disappeared into the bathroom to return Kyoko's hair to its original color.

Kyoko came back with her original color to find that the men had finished putting away breakfast and were in the process of doing the dishes. Catherine called for Ren to come have his hair returned to its original color too. Catherine charged Kyoko and Yashiro with the opening of the other packages and sorting them out into individual piles. This kept both of them from fidgeting around as they waited for the tall actor to come out with his new hair color.

Finally Catherine walked out and announced that the man was done. Kyoko and Yashiro turned too watched as the tall blond blue eyed man step into the living room. Yashiro squealed like a fan girl to see what the actor really looked like. In all the years that he had been working with the man, he had not expected for Ren to be able to be more of a lady killer then he already was, but Yashiro was sure that that combination would put more than one heart in danger. Kyoko just sat and stared at him. Ren held his breath as he waited for some reaction from the girl he loved. He had told her who he was, but showing her was different. He nearly died when her eyes filled with tears. He rushed to her to as she stood up from the floor.

"Corn." She whispered into his ear as she wrapped her arms around him. He realized that the tears that she was sheading were tears of joy at seeing her old friend returned to her in flesh. He squeezed her and told her he loved her. This made her cry harder as she squeezed him back. Catherine tapped Yashiro on the arm and pointed down the hall. The two retreated to give the two actors a moment together. Ren sank to the floor and pulled the crying girl down into his lap where he rocked her until she was cried out. When she had quieted to a few hiccups he kissed her head.

"Better?" He asked. Kyoko nodded and sat up to touch the golden strands attached to his head.

"I just…" Kyoko did not know how to put her feeling into words, but she did not have to. Ren pulled her in against him for a comforting hug before pressing his lips to hers. The couple sat this way for a long time enjoying each other's touch and company.

Catherine led Yashiro down the hall to let the two actors have some time together. She had planned to have Kyoko help her change her hair, but the girl looked like she needed Ren more than Catherine needed her. As long as she had someone to make sure she covered all of the area on the back of her neck, she could color her own hair. Yashiro took a seat on the edge of the tube as Catherine considered what to do with her hair. She currently had it in a tight braid from the base of her neck. Before she changed her mind or Yashiro could stop her, Catherine took up the shears, held the hair out from her head, and cut through the thick braid even with her collar.

"NO!" Yashiro was on his feet as soon as he saw her action, but it was not fast enough to prevent the first cut. He had to let her finish the job once it was started. It broke his heart to see the shorted strands flare around her face. He loved her long hair. The way it tangled around his finger, the feel of it tickling across his skin, and the soft scent of roses and jasmine he got every time he buried his face in it. As Catherine lowered the scissors and braid to the countertop Yashiro wrapped his arms around the woman. He buried his face into the shortened hair at the back of her head. She let out a trembling breath as a tear rolled out of the corner of her closed eyes. The shorter hair would help her to hide, but it was the first time she had cut her hair in a long time. She sniffled slightly at the loss then hardened her resolve. She had picked this path and there was no turning back now. She opened her eyes and picked up the rubber band on the counter and secured the loose ends of hair before laying the long length of braid on the counter top. She looked into the mirror and started to fix the uneven ends of hair. Yashiro stepped back so that he would not get covered in the clippings. He watched as she stylishly feathered her now just above shoulder length hair before turning it fiery red. She turned to her companion watching her transformation.

"What do you think?" She asked as she swished her head around. Yashiro had picked her severed braid up when she had started to change the color so that it would not get dirty. He squeezed the hair in his hand as he surveyed her work. He stood up and pulled her into his arms.

"It looks good on you." Yashiro whispered as he kissed her. He had loved her as a blonde, but the fiery red she was now suited her nicely too. He was not sure which he liked better. "So what are we going to do about my hair?" He eyed the shears where they rested on the counter top. He liked his hair style and really did not want to cut it. Catherine considered his hair for a moment before sitting him down where she could work on it.

"You are not as well known as Ren or Kyoko, and definitely not as eye catching as a long blonde hair, so I think we can get away by styling it differently." To Yashiro's relief, Catherine did not pick up the scissors, but a comb. She pulled off his glasses and ruffled his hair up in to a windblown look. She stood back and smiled at her work, he looked very dashing. Catherine leaned over and kissed him before handing his glasses back to him. "Whatever you do, don't get contacts." Yashiro slipped his glasses back on.

"You don't like the way I look without glasses?" Yashiro stood up and looked at himself in the mirror then took off his glasses. Catherine leaned in against him.

"That's not it." She rose up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "I just don't have enough sticks to beat the girls off with." He laughed at the complement and turned to the girl next to him.

"You have nothing to worry about." Yashiro gave her a hug and the two went out to show their new styles to actors.


	77. Chapter 78

Thanks Arith for the advice. I did start writting drival and think I have come up with a great idea for my next story... should be intresting. ... and I was able to get back into a nice grove. Also thanks to everyone for their continued support.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Yashiro and Catherine came back out to find Ren and Kyoko still cuddled up on the floor where they had left them. Catherine really did not want to disturb the cute couple, but now that they had their disguised in place, they needed to talk about what they were going to do in the next week. It had taken a long time to change all of their hair so Kyoko started to make lunch while the other three leaned against the counters and talked.

"We will stay here again tonight. There are some things we need to arrange before we can get moving." Catherine explained. Kyoko pursed her lips as she watched Catherine absentmindedly rubbing her hand across her stomach again as she talked. "What makes you getting married harder is your dual citizenship. Japan does not make you chose one or the other until you turn 22, so they still see you as an American legally." Ren pondered this; he had not considered that fact. He figured that since he was Japanese through his father, he could just get married the normal way. "So to make sure everything is legal and binding, we are going to treat you as if you only held an American citizenship. So, there is the matter of a sworn affidavit that you need to sign, but we need to make an appointment at the Japanese consulate. I have the number and we can call after lunch." Ren noticed the unconscious motion of Catherine's hand.

"Are you ok?" Ren asked. Catherine paused in her movement to think about what the man said. She dropped her hand from her stomach as she realized what she was doing.

"No, no, I'm fine." She reassured the tall actor. Yashiro shook his head.

"I have seen what you consider as fine, let me see." A blush rushed up Catherine's face as the manager knelt in front of her and pulled up her shirt so he could see the smooth skin of her stomach. Not able to see anything wrong he dropped the material and stood back up.

"See fine." Catherine seemed embarrassed by his actions. "Now can we get back to business?" Yashiro nodded but noted to watch the woman closer. She continued to explain that they were going to travel around spending each night in a different hotel so that they would not draw attention as they gathered everything together to make the marriage legal.

"But what if someone recognizes us?" Kyoko asked as she filled the plates with food.

"Your actors." Catherine explained. "Act!" Kyoko gave her an odd look. Ren picked up the idea and explained it to her.

"We just have to not act like ourselves." He explained but Kyoko still did not follow him. How was she not to act like herself? Ren could see that she was lost. "For example, since I look American, I can act like an American." With that Ren closed on the girl he loved and draped his arm around her in an affectionate way. Kyoko blushed at the forwardness of his action. It was definitely not something done in public in Japan, but would not have been out of place on the streets in the USA. Kyoko nodded as she finally understood. Ren placed a kiss on the side of her head, another very American gesture that made Kyoko blush a little more. She turned things over as they moved the plates of food to the table to eat. Something important hit her.

"What about the family registry?" She knew that her husband would have to be listed in her registry to make their marriage legal.

"Easy." Catherine shifted around the extra large portion that Kyoko had given her. "Because Ren's father is Japanese, you can be listed down in their registry." Catherine pointed to a stack of papers that was pulled out of one of the boxes. "Julie was kind enough to send it to me to make things easier." The group considered everything as they ate. Something popped into Kyoko's mind and she swallowed her mouthful before asking the question.

"If Ren is an American citizen, does my marrying him make me one to?" Kyoko asked. Catherine shook her head as she cleared he mouth to explain.

"It does not make you one, but it gives you the right to become one. You still have to go through the proper immigration systems in the US." Catherine had spent many hours hunting up this information on the net while they traveled so there would not be any hitches when they went to actually get married. They spent the rest of lunch talking about the proper process and what they needed to do in the next week before Kyoko's birthday.

Once lunch was over, Catherine helped Kyoko clean up and left Ren to make his appointment to get his paperwork. Yashiro had offered to do it, but Catherine had left his bag in his apartment, so he did not have his gloves to protect the electronics, so he was not able to use the phone. Ren chuckled at the man's plight and took Catherine's offered phone. Once that was done, the only thing left for them to do was to wait.

Kyoko decided that they needed to restock Con's kitchen. He had been so kind in letting them stay, it would be improper to leave without supplying the nice young man with some kind of reward. Catherine agreed and the two girls drew up a shopping list. Catherine insisted that Kyoko stay where it was safe while she went to get the needed supplies. The young actress was not exactly happy about letting the woman go, but when Yashiro said he would go with her, she agreed. Ren did not want Kyoko out in public either. When they left, Yashiro was surprised to see that the car that they came in was gone.

"Where is the store?" Yashiro looked around at the quiet neighborhood that they were in. All of the houses were the same in the base housing.

"Since Con is not here, we can't go to the NEX, so we will have to head a little father out." Catherine smiled as she walked over to the motorcycle. She picked up one of the helmets and tossed it to the man and pulled on the other. He looked at the machine skeptically as Catherine got on and started it. Catherine looked at him when he did not climb on. "Don't worry, it's not that far, and between the saddlebags and the luggage box, there should be enough space for everything." This was not why Yashiro delayed, but he buckled on his helmet and climbed on behind her. He had wondered why she had forced him into Con's leather jacket on top of the warm clothing she had given him. Now he understood. He wrapped his arms around her as she fired up the machine and they were off to get food.

Kyoko looked up from what she was doing when she heard the sounds of the motorcycle turning over. She had half a mind to get up and yell at Catherine to get off that thing, but they were long gone by the time she could. Ren noticed the anger coming off his love and could not figure out what had caused it.

"Is everything ok?" He asked.

"She took the motorcycle." Kyoko sighed. Ren did not understand how this was a problem.

"I know it's a little cold, but they should be fine." Ren tried to sooth the girl.

"But she does not need to be on that thing." Kyoko seethed. Ren couldn't figure it out. He has listened to how much fun she had had on their trip across Japan. The only thing that he could think of was that there may be something wrong with Catherine. Ren turned concerned eyes to his love.

"Is there something wrong with Catherine?" Ren asked. He could tell from the way that Kyoko froze that something was up, but she assured him that Catherine was find before going and finding cleaning supplies. She decided that she should take her frustration at the woman out on the dirt of the sailor's apartment.

**Author's note**: I did a lot of research on marraiges in Japan, so I hope I got that right. Please forgive me if I have made an error


	78. Chapter 79

Here is the next section. I hope you enjoy it, please let me know. I will be back on a regulare schedule on Monday. I haven't had a moment to rest to even thing about writing more. I have just a few more chapters ready for cleaning till I run out, but I do have quite a few need ideas to explore.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Catherine and Yashiro returned from the store to find the two actors hard at work scrubbing the living room floor. Yashiro laughed at the sight of Ren on his hands and knees with a cloth tied over his head as he wiped up the water from the floor. Kyoko had tried to convince the tall actor that he should not help, but he has insisted saying that he would not relax while she worked. He had as much reason to show his appreciation to their host as she did. Kyoko had reluctantly agreed to his help. She had given him the cloth because his hair kept falling into his eyes as they worked. They had already scoured the kitchen and the bathroom. Ren glowered at him and tossed the dirty rag at his manager. Yashiro giggled as he blocked it and went to help Catherine with their fair. Somehow Catherine had managed to pack everything except the eggs and bread away into the compartments on the bike. Once everything was in the house, Catherine helped Kyoko put the groceries away as Yashiro stripped out of his heavier clothing and back into the more comfortable ones that he had started the day in. Ren finished emptying out the cleaning water and put their supplies away. Now that the work was done, the two couples retired to the living room to rest for a while.

Kyoko was surprised when she turned on the TV. The normal program was preempted by a breaking news story about the sudden disappearance of Japan's number one actor. She settled on to the couch next or Ren to listen to the story and the speculations of the police as to how it happened and where he was. The building that Ren lived in had a high end security system guarding the doors. Since they did not want to invade the privacy of their residents, there were no cameras in the halls or stairs. The only images of the assailants were from the parking garage as they were carrying the man out. Even though the pictures were good, Catherine was mostly hidden beneath his mass and the leather jacket she had worn, and Kyoko was hidden by the fedora that Catherine had forced on her head. They all laughed when the police said they were probably looking for a middle aged muscular guy and a petite young female. The two couples cuddled as the news outlined Ren's professional career and reactions from the entertainment world. LME had only stated that they were looking into Ren's disappearance and would make a statement when they had more information. Yashiro was a little confused when the news mentioned that they had tried to reach him for comment, but could not. Had Lory not informed the police that he was missing too? He turned to ask about his thoughts to find that Catherine had fallen asleep against him. He let it go and turned his attention back the reports as he held her close.

Ren and Kyoko had found a chess board during their cleaning spell and Ren was in the process of teaching Kyoko how to play when the sailor came home. Kyoko stood up to greet their host, but the American waved her back to her game as he stowed his gear. Con was surprised by the changes in his guests when he got home. If he did not know who the actors were, he would never have been able to name them. He shook his head when he saw the short red hair of his sister-in-law as she slept against the man on the couch. He knew how much his wife had hated having her hair cut when she went into the navy, so he could imagine what Catherine felt at the change.

The return of their host let Kyoko know that it was time to start dinner. She left Ren to clear away the game as she got up to fix something to eat. She planned to make a large meal so that the nice young man would have leftovers for the next few days. Con came back out to find that they had moved and offered to help cook. Ren chuckled as Kyoko ushered Con out of the kitchen. He offered the man a game of chess instead. The sailor agreed and the two men sat down to a battle of wits.

Catherine woke slowly from her nap. She rubbed her face into her warm pillow and breathed in his fragrance. She woke up more to the chuckle that vibrated through her as Yashiro brought his arm down to make her stop. She had hit a sensitive spot that tickled. At his urging, Catherine sat up and started to take in the sounds around her. She had slept hard cuddling up against his side and her brain was refusing to work right. She caught the English words of the two men playing in the other room. She rubbed the sleep for her eyes and stood up to stretch before going to make sure everything was settled. The two men noticed her as soon as she came up to the table and sat down.

"Have a nice nap?" Con asked as he moved his knight across the board. They were into their third game and he was determined to win. They had each won one and were both evenly matched in strategy and skill. Catherine rubbed her eye again sleepily and nodded her head.

"Did you get it taken care of?" She asked her brother-in-law. Con cursed softly as Ren took the bishop that he was moving into position.

"Ya," He studied the board for his next move before looking up at Catherine tucked into her chair. "I parked the car in the long-term deployment parking for a while. No one is going to look for it there." Con turned back to the board and took another of Ren's pawns.

"Thanks Con, you're such a life saver." Catherine leaned over and placed a kiss on the man's cheek. "I already filled out the papers for the bike, you just need to have legal notarize it for you." Con nodded and grumbled as Ren took his knight. Catherine felt Yashiro walk up and lean against the back of her chair to watch Ren slowly kill their host. Catherine leaned back and covered Yashiro's hand as he placed it on her shoulder. Shortly after Ren forced Con's king into checkmate, Kyoko called that dinner was done. Now that pressing matters had been taken care of, Con pulled the taller stool over to the table so that he could talk with his guests. Once the meal was put away and the dishes done, they spent the rest of the evening talking about their jobs as actors and learning about life aboard an aircraft carrier. As the time grew late, Con wished his guests a good night and retired to his bed. The four friends resumed their sleeping spaces and spent the night in the arms of the ones they loved.


	79. Chapter 80

Please forgive any mistakes here. I busted my eye on a drawer today. There is no lasting damage, but I got a nice shiner out of it. I really didn't want to miss my update, but everything is still a little blurry without my glasses. As soon as the rest of the swelling goes down, I will go back and reproof read this chapter again. I hope you enjoy the new section.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Kyoko woke to the sounds of someone cooking in the kitchen. The eye opening fragrance of coffee called to her and she wiggled against the man pressed into her back. She felt his breathing patterns change as he responded to her movements. She blushed a little as he tightened his hold on her and buried his face into the hair at the nape of her neck. She smiled and wiggled a little more when he placed a series of light kissed along her hairline. She shuddered and gasped as goose bumps ran her body at the feel of his teeth scrapping gently against her skin. Kyoko could feel the man's desires for her as Ren wrapped the arm Kyoko was laying on up across her chest to hold her close to him as he nibbled on the flesh of her neck. Kyoko folded both of her arms up to hold on to his forearm for dear life. She was being washed away in his emotions. Her heart rate and breathing nearly doubled when Ren slipped his free hand underneath the hem of her shirt to explore the expanse of the soft stomach and lower ribs. She trembled as he moved his hand lower to rub the skin right above her pants. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped his arm as a bolt of terror shot through her when she felt the tip of his pinky caress the edge of the elastic in her waistline and slip underneath. His hand stilled in its exploration as Ren gauged her reactions. He was becoming very good at pushing Kyoko just to her breaking point and pulling her back before she fell. Each time he would get a little closer to his ultimate goal, but this was as far as he could push her today without sending her running from his arms. Kyoko let out the breath she was holding as he pulled the digit from her waistline and slid the hand under her to pull her tighter against him. He laid a reassuring kiss on the area that he had been nibbling on then took a deep breath to help cool his desires. He was sure that day when his advances didn't frighten her was not far off as she relaxed in his arms. He breathed her in and smiled into her hair as he rolled his thoughts around. Soon they would be married and he would make it so that she never wanted to leave him again.

Kyoko melted into his embrace as she tried to sort out the feeling racing around inside her. She was glad that he had not continued. It had scared her, but she did not really understand the twinge of regret that colored her thoughts. She recognized the warm ball that had developed in her stomach as a physical reaction to the man behind her, but she had not quite come to terms with the desire that had caused it. They lay together for a few minutes longer before he extracted himself from around her and placing a light kiss on her cheek. He left her with a soft whispered 'I love you' before heading off to find the bathroom. Kyoko held still for a few more moments listening to the man working in the kitchen before shaking away her thought and getting up to see if she could help him out.

Kyoko looked at the two people still sleeping on the couch before heading out of the room. As soon as she was out, Yashiro slipped into to fan girl mode and wiggled underneath his girl. Catherine snickered at his reaction and pulled herself up his body and kissed him before the squee could come out. This seemed to pull him out of the fit he was about to slip into and he wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed back.

"I am amazed at how much enjoyment you get from watching those two grow together." Catherine whispered to her love.

"You have no idea how long I have waited for real development between them." Yashiro grinned from ear to ear. Catherine giggled at him and sifted back down so she could rest her head on his chest again. Yashiro petted her hair until Ren came back from the bathroom and Catherine slipped from his arms and down the hall. He sighed as he watched her hurried footsteps, she was so cute in the morning.

The two men joined Kyoko in the kitchen as Con schooled her on the making of what he called breakfast casserole. It was an amalgamation of bits of ham, sausage, tomatoes, hash browns, and shredded cheese held together by scrambled eggs and baked till done. He had just finished prepping all the meats and potatoes that needed cooking and was about to fix up the eggs. Yashiro and Ren nearly choked on their drinks when the stocky man pulled out the whipped cream and added it into the eggs. Both of the cooks looked at the coughing men in concern as Con whisked in the cream before pouring it over the other ingredients. Catherine chose that moment to walk up behind the two men trying to breathe their drinks. She looked at the two men in concern and turned to see the culprit sitting on the counter. She smiled and passed between then into the kitchen. She greeted her brother-in-law with a pat on the back and picked up the can and shook it lightly before returning it to the refrigerator along with a few other things that needed to go back in. She had thought about spraying some into her hand and eating it, but the blush that rushed up Yashiro's face when she picked it up made her decided against it. Ren and Yashiro decided that it had to be a family thing and took what was left of their coffee out to the table to finish recovering.

Once breakfast was done, Con stood back and watched as the four friends separated out the things they were going to wear that day and packed everything else into the backpacks that Julie had sent to them. Ren watched with guarded eyes as Kyoko tried to convince Catherine that she should carry the thick stack of legal documents that Catherine was stuffing into her bag. She kept arguing that it was not that heavy and it would be fine. Ren decided to settle that argument by taking the documents himself on the grounds that they were his in the first place. Catherine reluctantly agreed as Kyoko smiled at her victory. Ren decided that Kyoko definitely knew there was something going on, but what, he had not quite figured out. He thought about the best way to get the information out of Kyoko as they finished packing and getting ready for the day.

Catherine gave Con a farewell hug and wished him the best as the group got ready to leave. Kyoko, Yashiro, and Ren bowed their gratitude to their host and he waved them off with warm wished and good luck in their endeavor and the group left. Catherine led them down to the bus stop that would take them to the train station so they could get back to Tokyo.

Ren felt odd walking down the street in his natural appearance. He kept expecting someone to yell his name and fans to swarm him. He kept seeing his face on papers and hearing his name muttered as people talked about the hottest news in Japan, but no one pinned that name to him as they made their way through the streets of Tokyo. His blue eyes and blond hair coupled with this height did draw glances from the passing crowd, but no more than any hansom man would have gotten. On occasion someone would stare longer at him as they studied his features, but he had slipped back into his American swagger so they quickly decided that it could not be the missing actor and let it go. Only once did someone recognize him. A little girl about six pointed him out in a very loud voice to her mother. She quickly shushed the child and explained that it was only someone that looked like him and that Tsuruga Ren had brown hair and eyes. Ren draped himself over Kyoko in a very unJapanese fashion that made the young woman blush. The mother apologized to him and pulled the child that still insisted that was Tsuruga-san away. They all laughed nervously that their cover was almost blown by the keen eyes and innocence of a child. It was quickly decided that they needed to get out of sight before school let out and turned their steps to the hotel where they would be staying for the next few nights.

A mixture of emotions ran Kuu as he hung up the phone. Lory had called him to let him know that Ren had been kidnaped. He had also informed him that he thought it was Catherine and Kyoko that had done the deed. Lory could not prove this, but all the evidence he could find led him to believe that this was true. Kuu sat down and hung his head into his hands. He had no idea what that woman was thinking. He had sent her to take care of Kyoko, not to cause such a scene with his son. He wanted to jump on a plane and go find the girl, but he did not know where to start looking for her. Kuu rubbed his forehead and got up to go give his lovely wife the news. He was sure that she would never talk to him again after this. She had been so excited when she received the Kuon doll and the letters from Kyoko and Catherine. They were both looking forwards to their children being married to each other. Julie had not met the young woman, but she could tell that she would like her from the way Kuu had talked about her.

Kuu cringed when he found Julie massacring vegetables on the kitchen counter. She had decided that she would cook for him. Kuu had noticed that she had been in a good mood for the last few weeks and he really did not want to spoil it for her.

"Julie darling, I have some bad news." Kuu decided coming straight out and saying it would be the best route. At least then she would be too upset to finish cooking and he could save his stomach the pain later. Julie sat her knife down and gave her attention to her loving husband. "Takarada-san has just informed me that Tsuruga Ren has been kidnaped." Kuu was ready to rush to catch his love as she fainted from the news, but she just gave him calm eyes and smiled at him.

"Is that so?" Julie picked up the knife and continued trying to chop up the food. Kuu could not believe that she had taken the news so well. He stared at her dumfounded as she dumped the entire mess that she had made into a big pot and added some water. He turned this over in his mind as he collected himself. The only way that she would not react to this news was if she already knew about it. And the only way that she would not be upset about it would be if she had a hand in it. Kuu closed the distance between them and turned the fire that Julie was fussing with off.

"What do you know?" Kuu asked her. Julie giggled mischievously and relayed the entire plan as Catherine had told her along with her part in it. When it was over, Kuu laughed at the cunning woman and kissed her. Not only had she helped to ensure the young actress' safety, she had kept the entire plan from him so that Lory would not know something was up when he called to inform Kuu. Even though he was an excellent actor, his old friend could always see right through him. He laughed again and turned to help his wife make something that his stomach would not hate him for later.

Later that day Lory arranged for a statement to be issued by LME about the missing actor. He claimed that the actor had been found and was safe. He explained that Tsuruga had suddenly taken ill and was carried from his apartment to see a privet doctor. He even produced a doctor that would back up his story and assured that Tsuruga would be fine after a few days of rest. This seemed to quiet some of the ruckus the man's kidnaping had cause, but the media still screamed for a statement from the missing man himself. Lory assured them that as soon as Ren had recovered from his unnamed illness, he would be happy to give them a statement. The doctor informed them that it should not take more than two weeks of rest before the actor is well enough to be seen in public again. Lory cleared the man's schedule till the first of the year under these pretexts. He was going to kill them all if they stayed away any longer than that.

Ren had no troubles when he went to his appointment with the consulate in Japan. The official that he talked with was either too young to remember Hizuri Kuu, did not watch movies, or just did not care. He got out without having to answer any awkward questions. Having finished the finale preparations for their marriage, they just had to wait till Kyoko turned 18 to go add Kyoko to the Hizuri family registry. With the last of the needed paperwork in hand, they had hopped the Shinkansen to find a nice place where they could celebrate Kyoko's birthday in quiet.


	80. Chapter 81

Here is the next chapter for you. Please let me know how it is.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Kyoko woke up on her birthday cuddled next to Ren. The blond haired man snored lightly behind her in the cool December air. Up until this point, the weather had been unseasonably warm, but that had changed last night as a front rolled through bringing a gentle wake of snow behind it. She snuggled in closer to his warmth as she listened to the muffled sound of the early morning life of the ryokan they had found in Osaka. A sense of sad nostalgia rolled over her as she recalled all of the mornings she had woken up when she lived at the Fuwa's ryokan. This was the same, yet different. She had never woken up in Kyoto with the feeling of being loved like she did when pressed into Ren's warm side. She found her mind wondering to the singer that had been the root cause of most of her troubles, but the normal dark atmosphere did not appear. Over the last week she had come to terms with his actions and had realized that if he had not taken her to Tokyo and abandoned her, she would never have gotten into LME, and she would not have the wonderful man sleeping with her now. She still wanted to grow her name in the world of entertainment, but she no longer held the animosity for her old friend. Ren had pushed him out of her heart. Kyoko felt Ren wrap the arm she was laying on up around her as he shifted in his dream.

Kyoko rolled over in his embrace to better snuggle against the man that was lying on his back. She froze when the arm pressed between them met with the bare skin of his side. Somehow the belt of the yukata he had worn to bed had come lose in his sleep. Kyoko held her free hand back for a moment afraid that touching his skin would wake him. After waffling on the idea, she rested her hand very gently on his chest. Ren did not respond to her touch and she let out the breath that she was holding. She rubbed the fine hairs of his chest with her fingertips. She paused in her motion when Ren sighed deeply and pulled her a little closer. She was sure that he had woken up, but when his eyes never opened and his breathing returned to the deep even pace it had been, she returned to her soft caresses of his skin. She grew a little bolder and moved her hand lightly over the ridges of his pectorals but stopped when her fingertips found the soft skin of his nipple. Ren's breath quickened as the skin on his nipple hardened at her feather light touch.

Once Kyoko was sure he was not awake, she shifted her hand back down his body. She traced all the lines on his stomach until she found his belly button. Ren still had not moved from his sleep. Kyoko lightly dragged her fingertips across his waistline till she found the edge of his hip bone and paused there. She looked up at his face to see that it was still slack in sleep before she dug up her courage and shifted her hand again. She knew that answer to the question she had from the time she had spent as Setsu, but that was for the Cain aspect of her love. Was it the same for all sides of him? She slid her finders down his hip bone as she searched for the answer to that age old question: Boxers or briefs? A blush raced up her face as her fingers reached his thigh without meeting any resistance at all. Now that the yukata was pulled open, the only thing that kept him from being exposed to the world was the blanket that covered them both.

Kyoko pulled her hand away and cuddled it against her chest as she processed this development. Her face was the deepest shade of crimson that it could have been. She had been in the same room as the man's naked body twice and both times she had not looked at him. The first she had pinned her eyes to his face, and the second he was covered in bubbles. Now she was given the opportunity again and she let her curiosity get the better of her. She slipped her hand across his chest and lifted the blanket up so she could quickly look down his length. The morning light filtered through the white covers just enough to illuminate the darkness wrapped around them. She was shocked to see the reaction that the morning and her exploration of his skin had on his body. She swallowed the gasp that threatened to escape her and dropped the covers back over him. She buried her face into his side and turned the image she now had burnt into her mind over several times. She checked one more time to make sure the man next to her had not woken up before pulling herself out of bed and into the chilly morning air. She turned up the heater a little as she made her way to the bathroom.

Ren let out a light nervous laugh as he heard the door of the bathroom shut. He had woken up when she first laid her hand on his chest and petted him but he wanted to see how far she would go and remained relaxed for her. He even worked to keep his breathing deep and even. That only worked until the tips of her fingers reached his nipple. What she did not realized was that the tips of her nails were dragging against his skin ever so lightly. The sensation was making his toes curl, but he worked to keep this from her as his breathing increased. When she stopped, he forced his body to relax again. He wanted to give her the chance to touch him if she would take it. His heart leaped for joy as she shifted her hand down his body. Silently he cheered her on as she paused at his belly button. His heart jumped a little as she shifted her hand to his hip bone and he remembered the state of undress that he was in. Ren had forgotten to take his clean clothing with him to the bath yesterday and had not taken an opportunity to dress properly afterward. His breath hitched a little as her fingers traced his hip, but he forced his breathing back to regular so she would not know that he was awake. His heart sank just a little as she curled upon herself against his side. He could feel the heart from the flush on her face. His surprise was so great that he nearly gave himself away when she lifted the blanket up and looked down his body. It was the first time that she had willingly looked at his naked body and he did not want to embarrass her. He knew that this was well outside her comfort zone, so he did his best to play asleep so that she could deal with her thoughts. He was proud that she had taken this step without his coercion; it would make things easier on him when the right time came.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the hurried footsteps of the other woman in the room as she quickly made her way from the futon she had shared with Yashiro to the bathroom. Kyoko was just coming out, but turned to follow the woman back in. Ren turned to look at his manager still asleep at the other end of the large room. If the man had noticed the quick departure of the woman, he was not showing it. Ren listened closely to try to hear what was going on, but was having trouble. Kyoko had turned the water in the sink on to cover whatever noise they were making, but he was almost sure he could hear the sounds of retching along with Kyoko's soothing voice. He had been watching the woman since they met back up with them. She had kept it very low key, but it was not easy to hide her chronically upset stomach. When Ren had asked about it one morning at breakfast, she had informed them that she thought she was developing an ulcer due to stress and promised that she would go have it looked at when everything was said and done. Kyoko had given her a very pointed look before turning her attention away from her manager before she said anything. Ren had found this a little hard to believe, but until they could get her to a doctor to have her looked at, he could not prove anything. Yashiro seemed to take this into consideration and spent quite a bit of his time pressing the woman with treats that would be soothing to her stomach. Ren was not sure where he got them, but Yashiro always seemed to have crackers or cookies hidden away to present to her anytime she looked a little green. Ren had a sneaking feeling that Kyoko was supplying Yashiro with them.

Ren had also noticed that Catherine could fall asleep at the drop of a hat. She often did this after they had done something other than sit around the hotel. On one occasion they had gone out to the park for a change of view and Catherine had fallen asleep leaning against Yashiro as they rested on the benches. It had only been for a few minutes, and she had woken up right away when they were ready to move on, but he remembered her having a lot more stamina then that. Yashiro did not seem to mind this either. He was content to either be her pillow or to move her to a more comfortable location so she could sleep. He had also caught Yashiro several times slipping his hand down to rest on her tummy as he cushioned her head with his lap. He had a feeling that his manager suspected the same thing he did, but neither one brought it up to the woman. If their suspicions were true, then she would not be able to hide the facts after the start of the new year.

Kyoko and Catherine finally came out from the bathroom together and looked over at the men still covered by the blankets. They had yet to show how awake they really were. Kyoko decided that Catherine needed something to put in her stomach and took the slightly pale woman out to find her something to help. As soon as the door clicked close Yashiro sat up and pulled himself from his bedding. Ren smiled as the man quietly walked towards him. He knew that his manager had been feigning sleep. Yashiro looked down at the smug look on his charge's face and shook his head as he walked past and into the bathroom the girls had just left. Ren took this opportunity to right his yukata and make sure the belt was properly tied in place before folding up their bedding. Yashiro had just finished clearing up their bedding when Kyoko and Catherine came back with a pot of tea and some biscuits and jam.

For a few minutes Ren thought he was going to get away with the light breakfast that the girls had brought back, but his delusions were ruined when one of the nakai showed up at the door with the rest of breakfast for the group. He chuckled and helped the young servant to right the table so she could present the morning meal for the group. She sat out three sets and left Catherine to nibble on her biscuits. Ren did smile when Yashiro pushed his bowl of peaches to the woman after she snuck the second piece. She laughed and thanked him as she enjoyed the treat. She even poured what was left of the juice into her cup of tea. When breakfast was finished Ren put his arm around the girl next to him and pulled Kyoko against him.

"Happy birthday Love." Ren kissed the top of her head as they cuddled together. Kyoko beamed and wiggled closer to him. She turned her face up and captured his lips. Catherine leaned over and rested against Yashiro as he let out a happy sigh. When they broke apart and the world returned to them, Kyoko blushed a little at the pair watching them.

"Happy Birthday Kyoko-chan." Catherine smiled at her. Yashiro repeated the phrase again. "Oh, and Merry Christmas." Catherine said excitedly. She pulled away from the man enjoying her company and popped up from her chair to scurry to her luggage. She came back quickly and handed a small neatly wrapped present to Kyoko. "This is from Julie." The woman explained. Kyoko took the present and looked at the pretty white paper and bow. She smiled as she tore into the package to reveal a small charm. The egg was intricately detailed with a woman in a beautiful white dress and a man in a black suit. Kyoko touched the delicate jewel carefully. "I guess it would have been better to give it to you tomorrow, but Julie said to give it to you on your birthday." Catherine shrugged and leaned back into Yashiro.

"It's beautiful!" Kyoko pulled the pin holding the charm in the box and held it up for the men to see. She pulled the chain from her neck and slipped the egg charm on it with the ring she had taken to wearing there. Ren helped her replace the necklace and kissed her head again. Ren felt a little sad, he had prepared something for this special occasion, but it was back at his apartment. He figured, under the given circumstances, she would forgive him for giving it to her late.

**Author's note: **For all of those that were worried, most of the swelling in my eyes has gone down, but I still look like I went a round with Rocky. Only I could hurt myself sitting up, should change my name to Grievous Bodily Harm. My trip to Chicago was extended a little. My dad would not let me drive with my eye swelled mostly shut, but we are better and heading back home today. Ladies and gentlemen, this is why I always have a few chapters tucked away. So that I can go a few rounds with a dresser drawer and still keep up with my updates. YAYS ME! I am so going to have to get writing when I get home.


	81. Chapter 82

Yays! Computer is finally unpacked so I can now put up the new update! I hope you enjoy the it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

When breakfast was cleared away, the two couples got dressed for the day. It was Christmas and there had been snow last night, so they decided it would be a wonderful idea to go for a walk in the nearby park. Kyoko almost danced as she led the way down the walkway into the public park. Someone had already been out to salt the path so that no one would fall in the ice. Ren laughed at his love while Yashiro and Catherine followed the actors. Yashiro stayed very close to Catherine as they walked along the damp path. When they got to the center of the park, they found that someone had sat up an ice rink.

"Let's go ice skating!" Kyoko pulled on Ren's arm in her excitement. Ren smiled and started to follow the girl over to the rink. He stopped as two things crossed his mind. The girls had left his wallet at home so he did not have any money, and he did not think it would be a good idea for Catherine to get out on the ice. Catherine solved his dilemma for him by stepping up next to the girl.

"I think that it a wonderful idea." Catherine pulled the girl away from the actor and when to get ice skate for all of them. Ren exchanged a worried look with Yashiro before following the two women. The guys collected their skates and found a place to change their shoes.

In no time at all Kyoko was up and moving around the rink at full speed. She loved to skate. Ren was taking it a little easier. He knew how to skate, but it had been a while since he had done it. He moved slower remembering how to stand on the slippery surface. When Kyoko zipped past him for the second time, he gave up his caution and chased after her. She squealed in delight as she saw the man pursuing her and raced off into the crowd gathered on the ice.

Catherine took a little more care in getting up on her feet, but it was still only a few minutes till she was moving around the rink in a leisurely pace. It was Yashiro that was having the real problem. He had never been on ice skates before and was a little intimidated by the slick ice. He stood just outside the rink's opening and watched as his friends whizzed past him laughing at each other. Catherine saw the man's plight and stopped by bumping into the wall in front of him.

"Give me your hand Yuki." Catherine held out her hand for him to take. Reluctantly he took it and let her pull him through the door and onto the ice. Yashiro held on to Catherine's hand and the wall for dear life as he found out how to keep his feet under him on the smooth ice. Once he was more stable, Catherine turned him in the right direction and taught him how to push off so he could move. She held on to his hand and pulled him away from the wall so that they could move together around the rink. Catherine stood close to his side and helped him maintain his balance as the faster skaters passed them.

When Kyoko and Ren caught up to them again, the young actress stopped to see if they needed any help. Catherine waved her on and continued to lead her lover around the rink as a slow pace. He was starting to get the hang of it so Catherine picked up the speed a little till they were keeping pace with the other couples skating hand in hand. Every time Yashiro would hit a rough spot on the ice and get off balance, Catherine would grab on to him and stabilize him. Ren and Kyoko slowed their racing to skate hand in hand a few feet behind their managers.

Yashiro had done very well on his first trip out on the ice, with Catherine's help he managed not to hit the ice. The two couples skated around for a long time till a group of younger teens got on the ice. They were pulling the same antics that Ren and Kyoko had done when they first hit the ice together, but these kids were not paying attention to the other skaters around them. One of the boys slammed into Yashiro's side as he skidded out of control through the skaters. This caused the unstable man to flail as he tried to keep from going down. Catherine tried to catch him, but another one of the boys bumped into her and the couple when down to the ice hard. Catherine had turned to catch Yashiro so when they started down, he wrapped his arms around the girl and brought her down on top of him.

A very frightened noise issued from Kyoko as she watched the brats bang into the managers and go racing off into the crowd. She had half a mind to go chasing after the naughty boys, but she was held back by her concern for the couple sprawled on the ice. Kyoko swung around to stand over the fallen pair while Ren took up a position on the other side. This protected the struggling couple from the skaters that were passing around them. There were a lot of people watching, but seeing that the unlucky couple had help, they skated on their way.

"Are you alright?" Kyoko asked as she squatted down to pull Catherine from Yashiro's arms. He held onto the girl protectively as he lay on his back trying to catch his breath. The hard hit with Catherine's added weight had served to knock it from him.

"I think so." Catherine answered as she sat back on the ice. Her worries were for the man that she had landed on. "Are you ok?" Yashiro coughed and stared up at his worried friends as his vision cleared. He slowly sat up as he recovered from the fall.

"Ya, I'm ok." Yashiro straightened his glasses were they had come dislodged before rubbing the back of his head. He had wacked it on the ice when he went down. They sat on the ice for a moment longer as Yashiro collected himself. Once he was more together, he nodded again. "I think we're good." Catherine slid across the ice to give the man a hug before getting to her feet. Ren helped Yashiro up and the four friends made their way off the ice. Sitting on the frozen water for so long had soaked through the managers' clothing and they needed to go back before they caught cold.

Kyoko and Ren went to get their shoes while Catherine and Yashiro found a seat on a nearby bench. Yashiro had still not recovered fully from the fall and was ready to get out of the ice skates. As he pulled them off, a very mad woman pulled the two culprits that had caused the accident over to stand in front of their victims. She grabbed their heads and forced them both into low bows before joining them.

"I would like to apologize to you for the trouble my boys have caused." The angry mother addressed the managers. Yashiro accepted her apology and bowed his head to her from where he sat, he had already pulled the skates off which made standing on the snow covered ground impossible. Kyoko came back with their footwear as the mother dragged her sons away for more punishment. Catherine smiled as her eyes followed the woman scolding her sons. Kyoko noticed her hand resting on her stomach again.

"I think we need to go back to the ryokan." The young woman announced when Yashiro sneezed from the cold just as a very light snow started falling again.

**Author's note:** Sorry for the short chapter, I have not had much time to get anything done. Now that I am back at home, I will have time to get back to the main story line. Thanks for your continued interest.


	82. Chapter 83

Yays, I think I am getting back into the grove of writing. That trip put me off, so I hope this is ok. I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Kyoko settled herself into the water of the open air onsen. Catherine sat on the edge of the tub and dangled her legs into the pool. The light snow that was falling never reached the surface of the water. It disappeared well above it in the warm cloud of steam that billowed up from the hot water. Kyoko had tried to avoid the public bathing pool so Catherine would have a reason to stay out, but Catherine had insisted on going in. After washing up, the two girls had slipped into the hot water, but Catherine quickly decided it was too hot for her and lifted herself out to rest on the side. This left her exposed to the cooler December air, but the same steam that murdered the snowflakes kept Catherine warm enough.

Kyoko kept stealing glances at her companion. Catherine had draped her towel over her lap and leaned back against her arms to kick her legs in and out of the hot water. Kyoko thought that she looked like she had put on a little weight since the last time they had been in a pool together.

"Are you sure that you should be in the water?" Kyoko asked her friend. She was still concerned about the tumble the woman had taken, but the hot water worried her more.

"Stop worrying about it Kyoko-chan." Catherine sat up and looked down at her charge. "We don't even know if it's true." Kyoko gave Catherine a look that said that she did not believe that. Catherine defended her position. "It is a proven fact that too much exercise or stress can cause a woman to miss their period, and we have had a lot of both in the last few weeks." Kyoko had to give her manager that. Even though they did have a good time traveling the country, there had been a lot of stress put on both of them. They had already had this conversation many times while the guys had been busy elsewhere. Catherine kept Kyoko sworn to secrecy on the subject until everything was over and she could get an appointment set up with a doctor. "Anyway, I have been taking those pills and trying to take it as easy as possible." Kyoko was happy about this. The moment she became aware of the situation, she had make Catherine get some special vitamins to take.

"I still think you should tell him." Kyoko sank a little lower in the water. She did not like hiding Catherine's possible condition from the men, but she understood that it was not her secret to tell.

"I promise to tell him as soon as I know what to tell him." Catherine sighed as she picked at some fluff on her towel. "It's just not something that they need to worry about right now." Catherine pulled her legs from the hot water and rested her chin on her knees with her arms wrapped around them. "Anyway, this is your time. Tomorrow you will get married and I don't want to overshadow that." Kyoko looked up at the woman above her and smile. She had started to become excited about the upcoming marriage. Ren's constant physical contact over the last few days had broken down most of the reservations that she had about their situation. He had played his American background up so he had an excuse to hold and kiss her as often as he could. At first she had been embarrassed to have his arms around her everywhere they went, but now she missed his presence when he was not there. Kyoko felt a little lightheaded from the heat and pulled herself from the pool.

"I think it is time we got out of here." Kyoko careful stood up so that she would not fall over and the two girls went to get dress and join their men.

The two women clad themselves in yukatas and went back to their room. Ren and Yashiro had left at the same time the girls had to enjoy a hot bath for themselves, but they had not returned yet, so the Catherine and Kyoko decided to wander around the ryokan while they waited for their partners. The two girls were excited when they found the table tennis games and they both picked up paddles for a quick game.

Kyoko had just smashed the little ball as hard as she could across the net when Ren walked into the room. He and Yashiro had gotten back from the bath to find the girls things there, but they were missing. He had a moment of panic as the two men turned their steps out to find where the young women were. A smile broke on his face as he watched Catherine reach for the missile and just miss it with the edge of the paddle.

"Point to me." Kyoko laughed and danced a little at her victory. Catherine laughed at the girl and when to retrieve the little ball from where it had bounced off the wall and under the table.

"You really aren't going to take it easy on me are you?" Catherine kidded with her friend.

"Nope." Kyoko laughed. "You told me not to." She pointed out the request that her manager had made. Ren stood in the doorway unnoticed by the pair.

"I can't find the ball Kyoko-chan." Catherine had dropped clear to the floor to crawl under the table. Kyoko squatted down to help her look for the toy so they could continue with their game. Yashiro walked up behind Ren and looked around him to see the girls they had been looking for on the floor searching. The little ball had bounced out from under the table and came to rest by Ren's foot. The tall actor picked up the object and stepped fully into the room followed by his manager.

"Is this what you are looking for?" Ren held his prize up. A bang issued from the table where Kyoko had jumped at the sound of his voice. Ren smiled at the silly girl. Kyoko extracted herself from the small area she was searching, rubbing her head.

"That's it!" She cheered as she hopped up from the floor and bounced over to Ren to get the ball. He held it out to her. Catherine pulled herself from the floor and smiled at the new arrivals. She looked over to the other equipment and had a wonderful idea.

"Why don't you two join us for a game?" Catherine spun her paddle in her hand. "We still have time before dinner." The two men agreed and went to collet paddles before joining their girls at the table. Ren teamed up with Kyoko and Yashiro went to stand next to Catherine. In no time at all the poor abused ball was flying back and forth across the table to the sounds of laughter.

The two teams were evenly matched as they jumped back and forth whacking their projectile at each other. Kyoko backed up to catch a rather wild serve from Yashiro and stumbled on the edge of the tatami mat. She let out a squeak as she realized that she was about to crash into the floor. Her eyes slammed shut as she braced herself for the impact that never happened. When she opened them again, she found that Ren's fast reflexes had served him well and she was bent backwards supported in his arms several feet from the ground. She looked deeply into the blue eyes just inches from her face as the two froze in the very romantic pose. She could see the tail end of the fear he had felt at her sudden endangerment as it was chased out of him by his love for the girl. The Emperor of the Night took over and Ren pulled her closer to him and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She reached up and clutched the front of his yukata as she returned the kiss. The two held their positing for a few more minutes before they broke apart breathless. Ren raised Kyoko back to her feet gently.

Their attention was drawn away from each other by the sigh that issued from Catherine. Kyoko blushed as she took in the managers at the other end of the table. Yashiro had one arm wrapped around Catherine's shoulders while she leaned against the line of his body as they watched the cute couple's exchange. What the actors had missed was the affectionate swat that Catherine had given the excitable man when his fan girl had kicked in. She had been working on teaching him not to squee every time his favorite couple did something cute. So far he was doing a good job. Kyoko turned to hide her embarrassment as she retrieved the lost ball while Ren checked the clock on the wall behind the managers.

"It's just about time for dinner." Ren informed the group. They all looked up at the time before gathering their toys back into the storage box and heading back to their room. They had no sooner settled down before the nakai showed up with their evening meal. Kyoko looked at all the little dished in front of her and sighed. She was having such a wonderful time, but she was still a little sad.

"Is everything ok Kyoko?" Ren asked as he noticed the change in the girl's mood.

"Yes." Kyoko nodded. "I was just wondering if Maria had another Grateful Party yesterday." She hopped that the young girl had been able to celebrate her birthday without her friend there to help. Ren smiled at her.

"I am sure that Lory arranged something for her." Ren patted Kyoko's hand where it laid on the table. They had picked out presents for the little girl for when they got back. Catherine had been against sending them incase Lory deiced that he was going to track them down from the post marks. They all agreed and packed the curious items that Kyoko had found away. Catherine had no idea what a little girl would need an ornate silver dagger and black candles for, but she had been afraid to ask. Ren had laughed at the older woman and added a book entitled 'Practical curses for all occasions' to the pile. Catherine had shaken her head and walked away to see about something more appropriate for a little girl.

"Thanks." Kyoko rolled her hand over and laced her fingers together with Ren's much larger hand. He held it for a few moments before releasing her so they could turn their attention back to their meal.

Kyoko had just finished the last of her food when a knock issued from the door. Ren called in answer and a young woman slid the door open before bringing in a small cake filled with candles. Tears of joy filled Kyoko's eyes as the servant sat the cake on the table in front of her. She had also brought clean plates which she exchanged for the dirty dished already on the table.

"Happy Birthday Kyoko." Ren smiled at her and pulled her into a one armed hug. He had talked with the Okami to arrange the little treat. It was the best that he could do under the circumstances. Kyoko leaned into the hug and smiled. Her three friends started into the birthday song and Ren released her so she could sit up and blow out the candles before the wax could melt on the cake. She scrunched up her face in thought for a moment trying to decide on the wish that she would make. She had found that most of the wishes that she could make had already come true. She had friends that loved her, she was getting married to a wonderful man that she was not sure that she deserved, she no longer wanted revenge on Sho, and she was growing to be a better actress all the time. She settled on a wishing for their plans to work and blew out the candles. Everyone cheered and Catherine took the cake and served it up. After dessert was cleared away, the two couples decided to turn in early. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. Even though there was no dress, no flowers, and no pomp and circumstance, it was still a big moment in the life of the two actors.


	83. Chapter 84

Here is the next sections. I hope you enjoy it.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Kyoko had a hard time find sleep that night. She lay awake pressed into Ren's warm chest. She tried to sleep, but she was just too nervous about what they were going to do the next day. She kept wondering if it would really stop her mother from trying to kill her. She also worried about what Ren was giving up for her. Yes, he had claimed that he loved her and would do anything for her, but there were still places in her heart that were not fully healed. 'Do I really deserve him? What if he decides I am not good enough and changes his mind? What if I can't make him happy? What if…? What if…?' A million questions popped into her mind as she listened to his heartbeat. All the negative thoughts running through her head pushed a tear from the corner of her eye. Her chest heaved in a silent sob as more tears ran to join the first. Ren felt her movements and pulled her closer to him. He was also having trouble sleeping. He was having the same thoughts she was. His attempts to comfort her drew the tears from her harder and she clutched at him as she cried her fears into his chest. Her tears finally ended and Ren loosened his grip on her. He leaned back so he could look into her red rimmed eyes in the dark.

"Kyoko." Ren started his voice just barely above a whisper. "I know that we have all agreed that this is the best course of action, but I will not force you into something that you don't want to do." Ren looked at her seriously. "I love you very much, but if you are afraid, we don't have to go through with this." Amazement filled Kyoko's face. She could see how much it was breaking Ren's heart to offer her a way out, and it made her love him even more. She smiled and moved so she could press her lips to his in answer. Once they parted, Kyoko settled back down into Ren's warm embrace and sleep took them both.

Early the next morning, the two couples checked out of the ryokan and headed to the municipal government office and waited for the official that could fill out and sign their paperwork to make their marriage legal and binding. Yashiro did not even try to contain his excitement as the two actors signed their names to the license. Catherine smiled as she put her signature down and the giddy male manager placed his seal on the page. Catherine had four copies of the paper made and the official wished the newly married couple good fortune. Catherine placed three copies of the "Certificate of Acceptance of Notification of Marriage" in an envelope with a letter and the three friends hoped on the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. They needed to let Lory know as soon as possible that everything was done.

The frightened bike courier cowered in the intimidating presence of the NASA astronaut looming over him. He had been paid handsomely to make sure that the large envelope has been delivered directly to the hands of the president of LME, but he was not sure the money was worth it. Lory slid the golden visor up so he could see the man more clearly through the clear glass of his helmet. The intercom on his suit buzzed so that the young man could hear him.

"Tell me where you got these papers again." Lory insisted. The bike courier had already give Lory the story four times, but the president wanted to make sure that they were real.

"A foreign woman with shoulder length red hair asked me to bring them here. She also said to give them to Takarada Lory himself." The courier answered again, he was not going to go against someone that was crazy enough to drive a small moon rover at breakneck speeds around in the building. Especially with the way Lory had come screeching up initially. The young man took the opportunity to escape as Lory turned his attention to the pages inside the package. The heavy gloves he wore made it had to separate them, but it was clear what they were. Lory returned to his moon rover and tore off through the building to the little moon base that he had constructed inside his office. There he could take off his space suit and read the entirety of Catherine's letter in safety.

Lory poured over the letter again as he processed the plan that Catherine had conceived. It was a great idea, he just wished that she had consulted him before doing something so drastic. Now that he had the entirety of her plan laid out in front of him in black and white, he understood her caution and the reasons for her actions. Catherine had sent him everything he needed to inform both Mogami Saena and the insurance company that the young woman was now married. Lory also laughed at the written apology that Catherine had sent him. She claimed all of the blame and begged him not to punish the actors or Yashiro for anything that had happened. Lory pulled out his computer and proceeded to type two letters on LME letterhead to be sent out by special delivery tomorrow.

Saena pondered over the official looking letter that had been delivered to her. She had been very nervous since the police had stopped by to enquire with her about her wayward daughter. Saena had played the role of concerned parent when they informed her about the multiple attacks on the girl, but they had asked some very serious questions. She cursed silently at them as they brought up the extreme life insurance policy that had been taken out on the girl. She did not know who had informed them of it, but she claimed that it was just good parenting that had made her pick it up. Truthfully, it had been Saena's late mother that had taking the life insurance policy out on the young child as an 'investment in the child future'. The grandmother had planned for the girl to be able to use it for collateral for college later in life, but it had been Saena that has pushed the limit up to the maximum amount that she could. She figured that if the need ever arose, no one would miss one insignificant girl. Now that she was growing into a star, Saena decided that she should cash in on her plans before it became too hard to get to the girl. She had not acted before now because the policy had not matured enough to get a full return on her investments.

Saena slipped her finger into the letter and tore it open. She pulled the paper from the envelope and a smaller sheet fluttered to her floor. She flipped open the letter and read it as she squatted down to pick up the document that had fallen. She froze as her eyes slid across the paper. She could not believe what she was reading. She flipped over the letter on LME letter head expecting to see some punch line to a joke written on the back, but there was none. There was only Lory's request that the woman stop trying to kill his favorite employee now that there was no way that she would benefit from it. Saena's fingers grasped the paper that had fallen to the floor and pulled it up for her eyes to look over. The scream that issued from her was enough to disturb the neighbors. How could a man ruin her carefully laid plans! Saena read over the marriage document a second time. She did not know who Hizuri Kuon was, but she was sure that he had been saddled with the raw end of a deal.

In her furry, Saena tore up the letter and the marriage document and threw them into the fire burning in her hearth, as if their destruction could change the facts that the letter outlined. She seethed as she remembered the words being consumed by the fire. Lory had made it very clear that he had sent a copy of this document to the insurance company and that she would not be getting anything even if they were both killed. He had also informed her that he had given all of the information about the life insurance policy to the police and that he was sure that it was only a matter of time before they were able to trace the money that was paid to the failed assassin back to her. Saena had taken great care in collecting the money into cash and giving it to him through a secure location, but he knew who she was, and if the ruffian was as ruthless as she suspected, there was nothing that guaranteed he would not give her up if the police offered him a plea bargain. Saena went into her room and packed as much as she could into two suit cases and headed out to her car. She would need to make a stop at the bank to drain as much as she could from her accounts, but she should be able to relocate before the police could catch her. As she drove away, she vowed that she would make those two pay for her having to abandon her current life. This was only a minor setback in her life though. She could easily call on that handsome client that had invited her to come to France with him. It was true that she could just barely stand him, but he was rich and that would go a long way to setting her up with a new life where this error could not affect her.

**Author's note:** Here is your chance to help with the story. As many of you have guesses, Catherine is pregnant. I have not quite figured out how to bring her and Yashiro's part of the story to a good close. I have written several possible ending, but I want to know what you think I should do. I will take into consideration any suggestions that I get. This is really the only part I have left to work out. Please let me know so that I can get to work on the end of the story. Thank you for your suggestions.


	84. Chapter 85

Here is the next section for your enjoyment.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

On the day after New Year's Day the wayward actors and their managers turned back up at LME. Ren and Kyoko's hair had been returned to their normal color, but Catherine kept the red. Many heads turned and whispers ran the building as the tall actor made his way to the president's office. They were greeted by Lory in traditional Japanese dress. The hakama, kimono, and geta were the most normal thing that they had ever seen the man wear. It was the demon noh mask that he wore sideways on his head that let them know that the man had not lost his mind while they were gone.

"So what do you have to say for yourselves?" Lory looked over the four people standing inside his shut door. Catherine's letter had explained everything, but he was still going to give them a hard time for causing him so much trouble. He could just barely contain his excitement as he looked at where Kyoko's hand was intertwined with Ren's. He was going to have to arrange for her graduation from the LoveMe section as soon as possible. Lory was not surprised when Catherine dropped to the floor in a dogeze bow. He was surprised that she was the only one that did so. It had taken her a long time to convince the others that she needed to be the only one to shoulder the blame. It was her ideas that had caused the mayhem, so it was her job to deal with the consequences of the actions.

"Please forgive me for stealing your employees away." Catherine spoke into the floor. "I take full responsibility for everything that has happened and gladly accept any punishment you deem worthy." Ren squeezed Kyoko's hand to give her the strength to let the woman do what she needed to do. The other three bowed from the waist to show their apology too. Lory looked over the guilty persons and shook his head.

"You four have caused me no end of trouble these last two weeks." Lory rubbed his forehead as he thought of all the headaches that he had worked through. "I was able to appease the press for a little while by faking an illness for Ren, but I don't think the police bought it. They have been here every day looking for evidence that I staged his abduction." Lory looked at the group begging his forgiveness. "Come on and sit down so that we can talk. There is still a lot to cover before this is over." Catherine sat up while the others straightened up. Yashiro helped Catherine from the floor and the four friends arranged themselves on the couches under Lory's watchful eyes. Lory raised an eyebrow as Yashiro offered Catherine the throw pillow from the end of the chair. She waved it away, but he tucked in right next to him in case she changed her mind. "Now that we are more comfortable, we need to arrange a press conference to announce that Ren is back and in good health."

"What illness was I supposed to be down with?" Ren asked.

"Varicella Zoster." Lory announced. Confusion crossed all of their faces; they had never heard of this illness and wondered if it was something that he had made up. "The Chicken Pox." Lory gave the disease a more common name. Everyone snorted as they tried to hold back their laughter, except Ren. Lory had spent a lot of time looking up rare illnesses that would cause the actor to pass out due to fever and need to be carried from his home, something that would account for him not being able to be seen for at least 2 weeks, and nothing that would endanger his life. He had played with the idea of several other rare diseases, but most of them had long term symptoms that could cause some questions, but the common virus that caused Chicken Pox worked perfectly. It was easy to catch, a severe case could cause high fevers, the actor would definitely what to stay out of the public eye until all of the lesions went away, and if he ever did get it again they could claim that it was shingles and no one would even question the validity of the claim. Lory explained this to the actor and he reluctantly agreed to use this as his cover.

They next talked about what they were going to do about the police. They were going to need to talk to the detectives that were still working on the case. Lory expected them to show up soon to talk to the actor. There was no way the paparazzi had missed the tall actor's return, no matter how early he had come in. If they had bothered to check the news at that moment, they would have seen images of the party arriving with speculations on where the actor had been. It was agreed that Catherine and Ren would talk with the detective alone so that no blame was placed on Kyoko or Yashiro for the choices that were made. Neither Kyoko nor Yashiro liked this idea. They had argued about this for a long time, but Catherine was determined that the actress and manager were going to get out of this one unscathed. Lory noticed that Kyoko and Yashiro both backed down when Catherine started to get physically upset over the matter. He was amazed at how fast the hardheaded girl he had come to know backed down from her manager. Yashiro had taken Catherine's hand and was patting it gently as he tried to calm her down. Even Ren was watching her with concerned eyes. Lory did not know what was going on, but he had a strange feeling something was up.

Once matters were settled and stories were made, Lory arranged for a press conference so Ren could explain that he was ok. Ren blushed as he explained to the eager press that he had spent the time he was missing suffering from the childhood virus. He felt foolish, but it was better than telling the press that he had been abducted so that he could get married. He explained that he spiked a fever high enough to make him pass out and that Kyoko and her manager had carried him from his home to a doctor. One reporter asked him to explain why the girls had reportedly ransacked his home. Ren gave him his gentleman's smile and informed the woman that they had been looking for his medical card so they could take him to the doctor. She wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, but the smile that he sent her did not leave a place for her to question him. When all the questions were asked and answered sufficiently, Ren excused himself and left with Catherine to go talk to the police about his abduction.

They spent a long time in the police station. Ren explained that Catherine had taken him to get help, but the detectives still placed the woman in an interrogation room so that she could explain her actions. Catherine sat at the table and smiled warmly at the two detectives trying to crack her. They were sure that she was hiding something, but they could not find out what. They had checked into the 'doctor' that Lory had presented for the press and found that he was really only a medical student that would sometime work as an actor for LME. There was no way that man could have been treating the missing actor. Ren told them that he did not want to press charges on anyone, but the police had spent a lot of time looking into this case and they wanted answers.

"Can I go now please?" Catherine asked at the end of the second hour of interrogation. They had asked the same questions over and over, but she still gave the same answers. Catherine was starting to not feel good. It had been a while since she had last eaten and her stomach was giving her fits again.

"You still have not told us what we what to know." One of detective looked over the folder on the table; his partner had gone out to see if she would talk to one of them more openly. "Where has Tsuruga Ren been for the last two weeks?" This was the only question that she had not given them a proper answer to.

"I told you." Catherine swallowed as she tried to calm the nausea that was rising in her. "He has been in bed sick with the chicken pox." Catherine breathed through her mouth.

"You said that, but where." The detective pressed the woman. He could see that she was uncomfortable and hoped that she was about to break and confess that she had held the actor captive for the last two weeks. He smiled as the color drained from her face. This was it, she was finally going to give it up!

"I really don't feel good." Catherine swallowed again. "Could I please go to the restroom?" She broke out into a cold sweat as she tried to make her body listen to her.

"You can go as soon as you tell me where he was." The detective heard the note of discomfort in the voice and pressed her again. This was the wrong thing to say to the sick woman.

"I'm going to be sick." She warned the detective. She closed her eyes as she tried to calm her stomach. He was sure that she was faking and refused her request again. Catherine stood up and looked around for a garbage can but could not find one. The detective told her to sit back down and she turned to look at him. She could not hold it back anymore and proceeded to vomit all over the table and the case file. The detective was not fast enough and the offensive liquid splashed across the table and right into his lap. He could hear the laughter of his colleges hidden by the one-way mirror behind him. He was good about getting answers from hard cases, but he had been warned that his ways with the suspects could bring him to a bad end someday. Catherine sat back down into her chair shaking. She had pushed it back away from the table and curled up to try and collect herself. The detective stood up and left madder than a wet hen. As he opened the door, the laughter could be heard clear into the other room. The woman had warned him that she did not feel well, so there was really nothing he could say to her. A few minutes later the other detective brought the stricken woman a towel and glass of water before escorted her from the room and back to the waiting actor. Since they could not prove anything and the actor was safe and sound, they had to let her go. The police decided to report this to the American Embassy.

Ren watched as they brought the pale woman out to him. Yashiro and Kyoko had stopped by near the end of the first hour that the police had Catherine in interrogation. They had argued for the woman's release and were glad to see that they were not going to try to charge her with anything. Yashiro could tell that his love was not feeling good and pulled a package of crackers from his pocket for her. She smiled weakly at him and took the offered food. They released Catherine into the care of her friends and they left. It had started to get late so Ren dropped the managers off at Yashiro's home before taking Kyoko home with him. Their things were still out at Lory's villa, but it was much too far to drive tonight.

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone that put in their two cents on the tying up of loose ends. They helped a lot.


	85. Chapter 86

**Literati Lover** asked for it, so here you go. Here's your fluff warning…. ** FLUFF*** ok.. please let me know what you think.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Yashiro led Catherine into his living room and sat her on the couch before heading out to get something to make for dinner. He was sure that most of the food in his refrigerator would be inedible after the two weeks they had been gone. He quickly finished the shopping and returned home to find that the unattended girl had picked up the mess that she had caused and was on the couch napping. He walked over, knelt next to her, placed his hand on her stomach, and kissed her on the forehead. When he pulled back she was looking up at him. The heavy winter clothing and yukatas that he had seen her in recently had done a fair job of hiding the changes that she was undergoing, but there was no way he could miss the extra weight around her middle as she laid on the couch. Catherine slipped her hand over his where it rested. Yashiro smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. He was pleasantly surprised by the minty freshness that greeted him. The woman had taken the opportunity to employ the toothbrush that had taken up residency in his bathroom. She chuckled lightly as he pulled back.

"How long have you know?" Catherine finally gave up and admitted defeat. Yashiro caressed the growing bulge.

"A while now." He admitted as he raised his other hand to caress the side of her face.

"I can't hide anything from you can I?" Catherine laughed lightly. Yashiro smiled at her and shook his head. "I don't even know for sure yet." Catherine admitted.

"We will go and find out together." Yashiro assured her and petted her stomach a little more before kissing her softly and rising from the floor. Their hands lingered together for a moment before he pulled away to go and make dinner for the mother to be. Catherine lay on the couch petting her stomach again. She felt a little foolish that she had even tried to keep it secret from such a perceptive man.

Ren and Kyoko had stopped to pick up the makings for dinner before returning to his apartment. This would be the first night that they would have the chance to spend alone together since they were married. Ren helped Kyoko carry in the groceries and sat them on the kitchen table. He stood back and watched her unload them. He loved the way she looked in his kitchen. He shook his head at that thought. It was no longer his kitchen, it was their kitchen. The idea that everything that belonged to him was now hers made his pulse race. He drew in a trembling breath and closed the distance between them. Kyoko smiled as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. She leaned her head forwards a bit and he took the opportunity to lay a line of soft kisses down the nape of her neck. She paused in her work to draw in a deep breath and touch his arms wrapped around her. The soft noise that escaped her as she let out the breath finally undid the man pressed to her back. There were no longer any walls between them; they belonged to each other now.

Ren rotated her in his arms so that he could capture her lips with his and they kissed passionately as he pressed her into the table. Kyoko returned his kiss and wrapped her arms around him. She squeaked into his mouth when he lifted her from the floor and sat her on the surface that she had been working on. Ren took the opportunity to slip deeper into her mouth and fed hungrily at her. He was standing so close to her that she had to spread her knees so he would not trap them uncomfortable between the table and his body. Her already quick pulse skipped more when he placed his hand against her tailbone and he pressed her into him as much as he could. Kyoko's hands had wandered in their embrace and she had managed to pull his shirt from his pants and was exploring the expanse of skin on his back. Ren only pulled back when he could take no more and needed to breath. The pair panted as they stared into each other's desire filled eyes. Ren loved the feel of her hands on his skin, but it was when she shifted her grip and the tips of her nails scraped across his skin that he lost it again. He had spent so much time pushing her to the edge of that cliff and pulling her back that she was no longer afraid of it. Today he was not going to pull her back from the edge, today he gathered her in his arms and jumped from that precipice with her.

Kyoko never remembered how their clothing had gotten strewn throughout the apartment. She just vaguely remembered Ren lifting her from the table and carrying her into the bedroom. He had been gentle yet unrelenting as they plunged into waters that she was unsure of. Whenever she became scared, he would pause for a moment with soft kisses, warm arms, and reassuring words before leading her onwards to indescribable pleasures. There had been pain, but his passion had washed it from her long before the morning light slipped into the room.

It was almost noon when Kyoko woke to find herself wrapped in Ren's warm arms. The dream she woke from had been hot and fiery and filled with the man sleeping against her. She must have made some sound because Ren shifted in his sleep and pulled her more firmly against him. Kyoko's mind snapped to full awake when she realized that neither of them was wearing a stich of clothing. Kyoko stilled as she tried to sort out what part of her memories were dream and what was real. The unfamiliar ache in her body told her that it was more real than not. Kyoko laid on the edge of tears as she reordered her world. She did love the man next to her and she did not regret what they had done last night, but losing one's virginity is still a daunting thing to face the next morning. Kyoko looked over at Ren's sleeping face and tried to slip from his bed quietly. She had managed to pull from his arms with only a light unhappy note from him, but it was when she went to stand up that she had problems. Her abused muscles had refused to take her weight and she fell to the floor.

Ren woke up to the thump of Kyoko hitting the floor and immediately rolled over to look down at the naked girl sitting on the floor. Ren smiled a little as Kyoko rubbed the hip that was giving her trouble.

"Are you ok?" Ren asked as he reached his hand out to touch her hair. Kyoko smiled and nodded but did not meet his eyes. His heart sunk as she stood up and wobbled her way to the bathroom without a word. Fear took over as he thought back over their night's activities and wondered if he had crossed that line before she was ready. Ren stared at the ceiling as he pondered his situation. What now? When he heard the water in the bathroom turn on he decided that getting her something to wear was the best option and sat up to get her some clothing. He gasped as he saw the mess that the two women had made of his room. No wonder the police had questioned Catherine so hard yesterday. There was no way that anyone looking for a medical card could do such damage. Ren laughed and gathered up a shirt and shorts for the young woman in the bathroom. He deposited it and a towel on the counted and left without saying a word to her. She seemed preoccupied in her cleaning. He wanted to climb in there with her, but he was worried that it would push her too much and that she would leave. He found clothing for himself and went to tend to the groceries that had been forgotten on the table last night.

Kyoko had finished cleaning herself and was let the hot water clear out her mind when she heard the bathroom door open and close. She waited for a moment for the man that had entered to say something to her, but his voice never came. She peeked around the curtain expecting to see him, but was greeted by the stack of his clothing and clean towel. She laughed at the disappointment that flooded her and shut the water off. Now that she was clean and refreshed her world was right again. The hot water had eased some of the unfamiliar aches, but she still walked a little funny. She dried herself and picked up the offered clothing. She breathed in his scent before pulling the coverings on. Her bags were still in the trunk of his car. She had planned to go get them after dinner, but dinner never happened. Her stomach suddenly let her know that she missed a meal and she laughed. The dark mood that had stolen over her this morning had been washed away by the hot water and now she was filled with warmth and happiness.

When Kyoko opened the bathroom door, she was greeted by a somewhat pleasant smell coming from the kitchen. She followed her nose to find Ren hovering over the stove trying not to burn the omelet he was cooking. He had made a mess of chopping up green peppers and ham and was just adding it to the eggs as she slipped into the kitchen quietly. She watched as he added the cheese to the slightly burn egg wrap. He almost dropped his spatula as she slipped up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Ren expected her to be more distant after the encounter this morning. He turned in his arms to face her. His fears were relieved when he saw the warm contented look on her face as he bent to kiss her.

"Good morning" Ren whispered when they broke the kiss.

"Good morning" She answered back before sniffing the air. She plucked the spatula from his hand and saved the monster omelet from the fire before it could burn any more. Ren chuckled at his little cook. He had prepared enough fixings for two, but Kyoko cut the huge thing he had made in half so they could share it. Kyoko took the two plates into the table and Ren followed with drinks. The two lovers spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the mess that was made when the girls had made their hasty escape two weeks ago.

Catherine and Yashiro had been busy that morning. After a restless but pleasant night, the two managers had to get back on to what managers do. Yashiro spent most of the morning on the phone rescheduling all of the things that Ren had missed over the two weeks that he had been missing. He had begged forgiveness and explained over and over Ren's absence. All of the people that he had talked to had been informed about the actor's illness, so they were lenient and Yashiro soon had everything sorted out.

Yashiro lay back on the floor and rubbed the cramp from his writing hand. Catherine chuckled at him and sat on the floor next to his head with a cup of tea. Yashiro rolled over and place his head into her lap and pressed his face into her stomach. She giggled as she felt his voice vibrate into her abdomen too low for her to actually hear.

"What are you doing?" She looked down at him and petted his hair. Yashiro pulled back from her stomach just enough so that he could look up at her.

"Bonding." He smiled and pressed his face back into her middle. She had no idea what the man was saying to her belly, but it made her laugh. She leaned back against her arms and let him talk to his child for a while longer. When he had nothing else to say, he placed a kiss on the growing lump and sat up. He pulled Catherine to him and placed a kiss on her lips as he cuddled her against him. "I took the liberty of scheduling you an appointment with an obstetrician for next week." Catherine laughed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I suppose that you fitted it into Ren's schedule at a time that you would not be needed?" Catherine laughed. She did not need to see the smile that split Yashiro's face to know the answer to that question. They sat leaning on each other for a long time before Yashiro pulled away from his love and emailed Ren's schedule to him. Tomorrow would start early and last a long time.


	86. Chapter 87

I finally finished! I will get the last chapters up as soon as I finish reveiwing them! Thanks you everyone for your support. I hope you enjoy the next section.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

The next day Catherine was called into Lory's office. Ren had returned to work and Kyoko was sent to visit with the other LoveMe members. Kanae was glad to have her back and Kyoko kept begging her friend to forgive her. Once they were settled in and Kyoko started her long tale, Catherine slipped away to answer Lory's call.

"I have some bad news." Lory turned serious eyes to the woman sitting in his office. Catherine sat up as tall as she could and waited to hear what he had to say. Lory went on, "I have just been informed that your work visa has been suspended due to the commotion your actions have cause." Catherine nodded; she had expected some kind of fallout.

"I understand." She sighed at the president. "Now what?" Lory hung his head before looking back up at the woman.

"You have been given 48 hours to leave Japan." Lory informed her. Catherine nodded grimly. Lory continued, "I have made arrangements for a flight back to the United States and have informed Kuu of your return." Catherine nodded again. "I have also made arrangement to have your things shipped back for you." Catherine nodded and thought about it for a moment.

"The dishes." Lory looked up at her words. "Give the white dishes with the cherry blossoms on them to Kyoko." Catherine didn't think that they would last through the shipping. Lory nodded and wrote himself a note. "Is there anything else?" Catherine asked. She rubbed her hand over her stomach as she pushed the tears threating her back.

"This is not the way I would repay you for everything that you have done, but I have no say in the matter." Lory explained and apologized to her. "You are welcome here whenever you visit Japan again." Catherine stood and bowed her gratitude to the man. She turned and left before the first of the tears could slip from her eyes. She knew that she would have to pay for what she had done, but to be tossed out of the country on such short notice was hard. She did not know how she was going to break the news to her friends.

Catherine slipped back into the LoveMe locker room and listened as Kyoko telling finished the amazing tale to her best friend. Catherine leaned against the wall and rubbed her hand over her growing stomach as she let the tears quietly slip down her face. There was no hiding what was going on anymore. It took a few moments for the excited girls to notice the depressed woman standing next to the door.

"What's wrong?" Kyoko stood up and approached the crying woman. Catherine wiped the tears from her cheeks and explained the entire situation to her former charge. Both Kanae and Kyoko stared at her in astonishment.

"But they can't do that." Kyoko cried. "I need you." Catherine laughed weakly.

"I can assure you that they can." Catherine answered her. "And you don't need me anymore. You shouldn't have any more problems." She smiled at Kyoko. "And I am in no condition to look after you anymore." Catherine patted her belly again. Kyoko's eyes lit up as she thought about the baby.

"What about Yashiro-san?" Kyoko gasped. A sad smile crossed Catherine's face as another tear slipped from her eye. She wiped it away before answering.

"Let me worry about him." Catherine closed the subject.

That evening the two couples met at a little restaurant for dinner. The guys noticed how withdrawn the girls were.

"Is everything alright?" Ren asked. He had actually eaten more of his food then Kyoko had. He could see the unshed tears in her eyes as she looked up at him.

"Things are not alright, but there is nothing that can be done about it." Catherine answered as she pushed her food around. "My work visa has been revoked and I have been asked to leave the country." It was a good thing that Ren has requested a private dining room. The tears that Kyoko had been holding back slipped from her eyes to run down her cheeks and both of the men looked at Catherine in surprise. Ren pulled Kyoko to him so that she could cry into his chest and Yashiro's concern drove him to his feet as he reached for the other depressed girl. His hand stopped just short of her as she studied the food on her plate. She did not want to look at the pain she was causing her friends. Yashiro sat back down and took her hand in his.

"When do you leave?" Yashiro asked her as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. Catherine looked up at him. She had cried as much as she could earlier, but her eyes showed the pain that she still felt.

"Lory as arranged a flight for me tomorrow morning." Catherine spoke just above a whisper, but everyone at the table heard. Kyoko sobbed into Ren again and he patted the girl to comfort her. They finished the rest of dinner, or what they ate of it, in silence except for an occasional snuffle from Kyoko. There was nothing to be said. They could complain, but it would not change anything.

The two mangers passed that night quietly with each other. They discussed possibilities and both decided that the best thing Yashiro could do was to stay here and look after the two newlyweds. Ren still had to announce their engagement and plan his public wedding, and he was going to needs Yashiro's help to get through everything that needed to be done. Reluctantly Yashiro agreed with her. Catherine promised that she would be back for the wedding, and Yashiro promised that he would not let her go again afterwards.

The next morning they all accompanied Ren as he took Catherine to the airport before he had to go for his filming. Kyoko gave her former manager a hug and Ren bowed to her. He was surprised when Catherine ignored the gesture and hugged him openly in the airport. She informed him that old friends get hugs as he hugged her back. He released her with a chuckle and the woman slipped into the arms of the man waiting for her. Yashiro held her tenderly and kissed her softly. Lory stood back and watched his favorite couples interact. It saddened him that the love that had bloomed was being pulled apart, but he was sure that those two would work something out. It was to his astonishment that Yashiro released the girl and dropped to his knees in front of her. Catherine laughed as the manger placed his head against her stomach and spoke softly to it. She stroked his head as he cooed to the unborn baby. Lory approached the group as Yashiro pressed a kiss to her stomach and stood up again. Ren caught his boss' approach before the others in his group did.

"Is she pregnant?" Lory jumped straight to the point. Catherine blushed as Yashiro smiled while holding her hand.

"Yes." Ren answered for her. Lory just stood there with his mouth open as he tried to process this fact. His heart both leapt for joy at the news and fell as he realized that things were pulling the father way from the mother and child. He was about to tell her that they would find a way for her to stay when the airline called for her flight to start boarding. Catherine quickly bowed to her former boss and friends, kissed her love once more, and took her bag to get on the plane. Lory had arranged her trip in first class so she would be one of the first to get on the plane. Lory tried to find words in his shock as his mouth gapped open and closed in a way that would make a gold fish proud. He had not seen that development coming. Yashiro watched as the tunnel to the plane swallowed her. He stepped over to Lory and spoke to the stunned man.

"It will be alright." He reassured the man that was about to break into tears. "She will be back." Yashiro said this to reassure himself more than the shocked man next to him. Yashiro turned and lead the way out of the airport, the day was getting on and there was still so much to do. Anyway, he could not bear to watch the plane take his love away. It had been hard enough letting her go in the first place. He stuck his hand into his pocket and caressed the length of braid he had there. Catherine had helped him to divide out the locks he had saved from when she had cut her hair. She split the hair into four bundles and nimbly finessed them into neat braids so that he could keep one with him wherever he went. Lory stood dumfounded for a long time before he turned away from the plane and followed his employees out. There was a lot to do to get the two actors married publicly, but he promised himself that he would do anything in his power to bring the American woman back to the man that loved her, even if it required him to kidnap her back himself.


	87. Chapter 88

Here is the second up date for your today. Let me know if there is anything you think still needs to be wrapped up. We are almost done now. Enjoy.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Ren and Kyoko announced their engagement in mid-January and the young talent moved in with her 'fiancé'. The news had delighted the entire nation. Very few could find any reason that the tall actor should not marry the up and coming talent.

When he hear the news, Sho became livid. He hunted Kyoko up on set and proceeded to yell at her. She just shook her head at him as he tried in vain to stake his claim to her heart once again. He even went as far as to try to drag her away with him, but he was stopped when the tall actor she was engaged to clasped him on the shoulder and physically escorted him off the premises. He was only polite to him, but the cold smile that Ren gave him was more than enough to send the singer running for his life.

Lory had a wonderful time planning the wedding for his favorite actors. The only thing Kyoko really got to do was pick out the dress, and that was mostly done for her by Julie. Her new mother-in-law had sent her sketches of different wedding gowns for the young woman to look over. They talked online a lot while Julie built the dress for her son's new bride. Ren laughed as his mother swept his love away in her excitement. There was no way to stop his extravagant mother when she got started. Kyoko did have a say in the color of the bridesmaids' dresses and vetoed the blazing pink that Lory had picked out, to the eccentric man's dismay. They were planning to get married in spring under the cherry blossoms, so Kyoko chose a much softer pink to match that background. This appeased Lory and the order was put in for the two LoveMe girls to be fitted for dresses. Kyoko had asked Catherine to be in her wedding, but the very pregnant woman had declined the honor. She was sure that she would not be able to stand for the entire wedding. Yashiro, of course, stood as Ren's best man, but he was at a lost for another groomsman to accompany Amamiya Chiori. Ren turned this over for a long time, but decided to offer the honor to the sailor that had been so kind to help them out. Con had gladly accepted his offer and the rest of the plans were left for Lory and his overly excited parents to tend to.

Yashiro sat at his desk and finalized the last of the plans for Ren and Kyoko's public wedding. He has worked hard to clear both of the actor's schedules so they could take the next month off for their honeymoon. Ren had decided that he would take Kyoko on the same type of motorcycle trip that Catherine had taken her on. The weather in April was a much better time for motorcycle riding then it had been in winter. Yashiro sat his pen down and leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed. His hand found its way into his pocket and the little treasures that he kept with him. His fingers caressed the braid and the copy of the ultrasound that helped him through the days. He had been in constant contact with Catherine during the time that they had been apart, but he was looking forward to that month of free time and the chance to go and see her again. She had informed him that her doctor has forbidden her to come back to Japan due to the hypertension that she had developed. They had given her some medication to help lower her blood pressure, but she was supposed to be resting for the remaining part of her pregnancy.

Yashiro had made his escape from Lory's office when Kuu and Julie Hizuri turned up. He had worked closely with the couple for the past few months planning things for the wedding, but he just could not face them at the moment. They reminded him of the girl that he was not going to get to see. He rolled his plans around in his head as he rubbed the locks in his pocket. He was going to get plane tickets as soon as the wedding was over and he was just going to show up on Catherine's doorstep. He smiled as he imagined the look on her face at his unexpected arrival. His breath caught as a haunting English melody wafted in from the hall outside his partially open office door.

"Are ye going to Scarborough fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Remember me to one who lives there. He once was a true love of mine." Yashiro fell out of the chair in his scramble to get to the door where the familiar voice sang. It was a good thing that she stood off to one side of the door as Yashiro ripped the thing open hard enough to knock the pictures on the wall of his office down. Catherine laughed at his surprised face from where she leaned against the wall of the hallway. His eyes ate the woman where she stood. The flowing gauzy dress she was wrapped in did nothing to hide the bulge of her stomach. Yashiro stepped all the way into the hall and wrapped the woman in his arms. He could not believe that she was there. Catherine breathed in his scent and rubbed her face into his the crook of his neck. She squeaked in surprise when Yashiro scooped her up in his arms and carried her back into his office. He kicked the abused door shut as he maneuvered her around the fallen chair to the armchair that Ren would often sit in while Yashiro worked. He dropped himself into the chair with the pregnant woman on his lap. Catherine started to say something to him but he shushed her before pressing his lips to hers for a long kiss. When they broke apart, Catherine rested her head on Yashiro's shoulder. He tilled his head over till his cheek rested on her and placed his hand on her overly round belly. The two remained in that position for a very long time. Yashiro was afraid that his dream would end and the woman he loved would disappear again, and she did not want to disturb the man softly caressing her tummy.

Catherine had to finally shift her position. She enjoyed being in Yashiro's arms, but her lower back had started to complain and she needed to stand up for a little bit. She laughed at him when he tightened his grip as she started to move.

"I'm not going anywhere." She promised him as she pulled from his arms. Yashiro reluctantly let her up, but his hands lingered on her as long as possible. Now that the spell was broken and she had not disappeared, Yashiro's mind turned to the one thing he really wanted to know.

"Why are you here?" Yashiro asked. Catherine was moving about his office and picking up the things dislodges by her arrival. Catherine looked over at him and smile.

"I am here to see you, silly." Catherine rehung the picture and turned to pick up the chair that he had knocked over. Yashiro got up to help here with the chair. It was not heavy, but he knew that she was supposed to be resting.

"That's not what I meant." Yashiro huffed at her. She had righted the chair before he could get over to her. "What are you doing here?" Catherine thought about being a smart ass and giving him the same answers, but decided to give him the answers that he wanted.

"I came with Kuu and Julie to see the wedding." Catherine answered. "And to see you." She smiled at him.

"What did the doctor say?" Yashiro took the woman by her hands and placed her in the chair that she had just picked up. Catherine gave him a sheepish smile.

"They were against it, but I told them I was going." Catherine explained. Yashiro wanted to yell at her, but refrained from it. He was glad she was here under any circumstance. "I was ordered to take it easy and to keep off my feet as much as possible." Yashiro nodded and thought about all of the hallways there were in LME.

"Did you walk all the way here by yourself?" A note of concern colored his voice.

"We took a plane because swimming that far in my condition would be a little too much." Catherine teased him. Yashiro let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head as a smile split his face. He had missed her odd sense of humor. Catherine squeezed his hand and answered the question a little more seriously.

"I had planned on meeting up with you in Lory's office, but by the time I got out of the restroom you had already excused yourself to finish work." Catherine explained. Yashiro chuckled. He had been so eager to get away from the Americans that reminded him of his love that he missed the one he wanted to see. Yashiro lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

"I love you." Catherine stood up at his words and pressed into him for another kiss.

"I love you too." She said as soon as her lips were free again. Catherine took him by the hand and led him back to Lory's office where the final plans were being made for the wedding.

The group talked long into the night about everything. The entertainers watched as the manager cuddled on the couch with the mother-to-be. They had talked about plans for those two when Catherine had gone to get Yashiro. They had all agreed that what Ren and Kyoko's wedding needed was a real wedding. Lory considered the sleeping woman and turned his attention to the man she was leaning against.

"When are you going to marry her?" Lory asked the manager. Yashiro kissed her head softly and answered before he thought about it.

"As soon as I can." This had been the wrong answer to give to the excitable group. Ren shook his head at the squees as Lory, Julie, and Kuu launched into the plans that they had already made to add Yashiro and Catherine's wedding to Ren and Kyoko's. Yashiro froze has he listened to the excitement. Once he figured out what was going on, he tried to stop the flood, but every point that he brought up was blown out of the water. It all acuminated into Lory confessing that he had already sent out invitations for the manager's wedding to his family. Yashiro sat with his mouth wide open flabbergasted. Even if he had wanted to say no, Lory had left him no way out! The only problem he could see was the girl at his side. They had talked about marriage briefly once. It was kind of understood that he would ask her when she came back, but to have it dropped on her when she was this pregnant, and when she was supposed to be staying off her feet. This was not what he had planned at all. Yashiro woke the woman leaning against him.

"Catherine, wake up please." Yashiro pattered her gently until she shifted out of her sleep.

"Mmm… Yes." Catherine finally responded and sat up rubbing her eyes.

"Would you like to get married?" Yashiro asked her. Catherine smiled still slightly asleep.

"That would be nice." She stretched as she yawned.

"FANTASTIC!" Lory clapped his hands and the three conspirators chattered together finalizing the plans. Ren laughed and Kyoko looked on in horror as her friend's fate was sealed. She had to admit that she approved of their marriage, but it had been a little unfair to ask her while she was still waking up. Catherine had frozen at Lory's exclamation. She tried to process what was happening and why there was so much more excitement then there had been when she had fallen asleep. Her mind turned over the conversation and the question that Yashiro had asked her.

"What did I just agree too?" She asked Yashiro. He sat beside her with a dumfound smile on his face.

"Apparently we are going to be sharing Ren and Kyoko's wedding." Yashiro explained as he took his love's hand. Catherine froze again. "There is no point in protesting, they have already sent out the invitations for my family, I suspect that they have done the same for yours." There was a resounding yes that issued from the group before they turned back to their planning. Ren laughed again and pulled his wife in against him. He was so glad that Catherine had kidnapped him to marry his girl in peace. Catherine decided that she was having a weird dream and leaned back into Yashiro to go back to sleep. She was sure that she would wake up in the morning and find that none of this had happened. She would be wrong.


	88. Chapter 89

We finally come to the end! There were two chapters posted yesterday, so don't miss the previous one! I hope everyone enjoys it. If I have missed anything, please let me know so that I can correct it. Thank you all for sticking with me. And now….

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

The next morning, Catherine had found that Lory had made an appointment, a week ago, at the Japanese consulate to have her affidavit signed so that she could get married. When that was done, Julie and Kuu immediately took her over to the municipal government office to meet with Ren, Kyoko and Yashiro so that they could add Catherine to Yashiro's family registry. Once the paper work was signed and copies were made, Julie whisked Catherine and Kyoko away so that Kuu and Ren could take Yashiro away for the bachelor party Lory had set up.

Lory had arranged for the girls of the bridal party to spend the rest of the day at a spa. Julie, Kyoko, and Catherine met up with Kanae and Chiori for a nice relaxing evening. Nothing was over looked; the girls were given massages followed by manicures, pedicures, facial, and everything else that would help the women relax before the big day tomorrow. Catherine had spent most of the day trying to keep her blood pressure down. She should have known that something was up. Lory and Julie had asked her so many questions about Kyoko's wedding. They wanted her opinion on everything, and it had been Julie's insisting that made Catherine go against her doctor's suggestions and go on the trip. Of course, it had not taken much to convince her to come; she did really want to see Yashiro again. The shanghaied woman listened to the other women in the room with her as they relaxed.

"Did you at least pick out a nice dress for me?" The girls giggled and assured her they had. She sighed. They were all in on it. Catherine relaxed back and let the women's excitement carry her away.

The next day started early when Jelly came over to do the girl's hair and makeup. Catherine had not corrected the color of her hair from where she had dyed it on the run and the red had faded to a much softer strawberry blonde so the makeup artist skillfully changed Catherine's hair back to the original color. Kyoko had opted to keep the color that she was best known for and Jelly styled her short loose hair so that it framed her face. Not much of her hair would be seen once Julie had attached the tiara and vale to her head. The styling of Catherine's hair would have to wait until she had put her dress on. There was no way to get the garment up over her growing girth.

Most of the preparation was spent in getting Kyoko into the elaborate dress that Julie had come up with. They were all glad for the additional hands of the bride's maids while they worked with the massive amounts of material. Kyoko was amazed at the multiple layers that the dress contained. It kind of reminded her of the fair dress that Catherine had gotten her into when they had taken care of the woman. It fact, it was very similar. There was a chemise of cotton that Kyoko slipped on under everything. The sleeves of this garment were made of a transparent white gossamer material. It clung close around her upper arm and fell away in long folds to an opening at the wrist that hung to the girls knees. When she held her arms out, the sleeves formed large flowing triangles. The main skirt was made with a white beaded pintuck dupioni silk. The back was covered over from hip to hip with the same gossamer material of the sleeves. Kyoko marveled at the little glass beads that could be seen in the center of each of the diamonds of the skirt. The bottom edge of the outer layer of the skirt and the lower half of the sleeves were embroidered with a scattering of delicate cherry blossoms, faintly pink in color. Kyoko was glad for the long chemise when Julie pulled out the vast amounts of crinoline that was needed to give the skirt the proper fullness. The entire thing was held in place by a Victorian style corseted made of a white silk. The cherry blossom motif was pulled over into this fabric too. The front of the corset came to a point in the center and rose high over Kyoko's hips to create an elegant princes cut to the dress that made Kyoko giddy. Kyoko grumbled about the metal stays as Catherine helped Julie tighten the top correctly. All of the women laughed at her as Catherine pulled the last knot tight and tucked the ends of the stings into the lacing on Kyoko's back. It was going to take very skilled fingers to get the knots that Catherine tied loose. Catherine chuckled as she thought of Ren's frustrations as he tried to get his love out of the garment tonight. Coupling the unyielding corset with the thigh high stocking Kyoko wore ensured that they lovers would have a very interesting night indeed.

When all of the finessing of Kyoko's dress was done, Kyoko turned to look at herself in the mirror. Tears formed in her eyes, she looked as if she had stepped from a fairytale. The dress could have easily been worn by any number of princesses that Kyoko could name. It was all she could do to hold back the tears as Jelly placed the girl in her chair and settled the silver and diamond tiara on the young woma's head. The teardrop shaped crystal dangling in the center could have been Princess Rose's twin, except it was sky blue. Ren had picked this jewel out and requested it be added to the crown for the young woman. He knew it would make her unspeakably happy, and it did. The final finishing touched were the vale, embroidered with still more cherry blossoms, and a pair of white satin slippers. They had opted out of the heels that would raise her closer to Ren's height due to the soft surface that she would be walking on. Now that Kyoko was ready, Jelly and Julie turned to the other girls.

It did not take long for the bride's maids to get into their dresses. The strapless princess cut bodices and full skirts were a soft pink in color and missed the ground by about a foot. They had silk slippers like Kyoko's and matching half coats to cover their shoulders in the cool spring air. It took Jelly no time to style the girl's hair loosely and painted on their makeup. The only person left was the pregnant woman who they had saved for last.

Catherine's dress slipped on easily over her head and the beaded top clung across her chest supported by the very short petal like sleeves. The high waistline sat above her belly so that it would not bind her uncomfortably. Julie had chosen a style that the pregnant woman could wear even if she had been much larger in the middle. The multiple layers of thin iridescent pearl material hung in folds down her body to just short of the floor. The back was longer and trailed behind the woman as she walked. Julie had this dress embroidered with more cherry blossoms of a pink that was darker than the ones on Kyoko's dress, but not quite as deep in shade as the dresses of the bride's maids. Julie finished her look off with the silver calla lilies that Catherine had worn when Lory had arranged her and Yashiro's first 'date'. She also wore the silver anklet that the man had given her. It was a little tight on her pregnancy swollen ankles, but she had not taken it off since well before Kyoko was moved to the villa. She also wore soft silk slippers of a pink that matched the petals on her dress. Jelly set Catherine's blonde hair in a neat French twist held into place with pins and live cherry blossoms.

"What's with all the petals?" Catherine asked as she noticed the continuing theme throughout the bridal party. Catherine had been subject to most of the details about the wedding, but she could not pull out why they had included these flowers over everything from her memories. Kyoko and Julie giggled. They had kept the location of the wedding a secret to surprise their friend.

"You'll see." Julie said in a sing-song voice. Kanae rolled her eyes at the odd woman while Kyoko and Chiori giggled again. Catherine decided that it was just best for her blood pressure to let the girls have their fun and sweep her along for the ride.

Yashiro woke up with a groan as he rolled out of the chair that he had passed out in. The party that Lory and Kuu had put together for the grooms had been vicious. It had started out fairly tame, but quickly spiraled out of control as only something backed by Lory could. The geisha that kept plying the men with sake had been a nice touch at the beginning, but things got a bit fuzzier when midnight hit and the Brazilian strippers came out. Yashiro lay on the floor and pressed his memory to see if he could pull anything else out from the pain and only got snatches of Con dancing with what could only be an anaconda and Kuu and Ren singing karaoke. He was sure that he had put in a few songs too, but he could not remember them. He just prayed that there were no cameras around, but being that this was set up by Lory, that prayer was not likely to come true.

Yashiro ventured to crack an eye into the blinding morning light to see if there were any other survivors around. His eye fell on a larger form on the floor a few feet away from him. It took Yashiro a few minutes to puzzle out that it was Ren on his back in front of the couch that he had indubitably fallen asleep on then fallen off of. The man had one leg bent up resting on the furniture and the large snake from last night curled up on top of him. Yashiro closed his eyes again and waited for his life to end. He fell asleep again only to be woken up to someone petting through his hair. His mind turned to the woman that he loved only to come to the conclusion that it could not be her. He was still face down on the floor at one of Lory's mansion. He rolled over and pushed his glasses back into place before opening his eyes to meet dark face of Lory's young orangutan. The scream that issued from the man startled the creature as it bolted away from him screaming in return. This din woke the rest of the hung-over occupants of the room.

Groans issued from both Ren and Con as they sat up. The snake hissed at Ren as he pushed her off his chest. Con woke up with a little more dignity. He had at least stayed on the chair that he had fallen asleep on, but he was curled up in it with one leg over the arm and his head on the other. The sailor waved away the camel that was trying to eat his hair. The three men sat up and looked around at the chaos left from last night. The only part of Lory's menagerie that was not here was the tiger, but Ren vaguely remembered Lory putting him away before the singing started. Much to the chagrin of the hung-over men, Kuu and Lory chose that moment to make a very noisy entrance.

"Good morning gentlemen!" All three groaned at the cheer in Lory's voice. "It is time to get started! Breakfast is on the table and if we don't get moving, you boys will not make your wedding." Lory stood back and watched the guys move from where they had passed out. Kuu stood back with a big bowl of oatmeal and watched. Ren and Yashiro wondered how they could be so chipper after last night. The men dragged themselves up from the floor and staggered after their host to a breakfast filled with coffee, eggs, bacon, toast, B12, and lots of aspirin. After they had put something into their stomachs, mostly coffee and toast, the men went to get showers and changed for the wedding. The ceremony was set for early afternoon and they had about 2 hours till they needed to be on the road there.

Con, Lory, and Kuu were sitting in the main room when Ren finally made his way down from getting dressed. The hot water had done a fair job reviving him, but he was thankful for the sports drink that Lory had placed in the bedroom while he showered. He sat down with the other men and waited for his manager to make his appearance, but Yashiro never came out. They gave the man as much time as they could afford before going and looking for him. What they found alarmed them greatly.

Ren opened the door to the bedroom that Yashiro had been given to find his manager asleep, face down on the bed, wrapped in a towel. It was obvious that the man had tried to revive himself in the shower, but it had not worked well. Since it was really Yashiro's wedding, Kuu and Lory had gotten the man to drink more than his fair share the night before and he was feeling it now. Ren chuckled as he walked over to his unmoving manager and tapped him. Yashiro only groaned in response.

"Come on, it's time to get moving." Ren tapped him again.

"Just tell them I have died and would like white lilies at the funeral." Yashiro moaned into the bed.

"Nope." Ren answered and the four men descended on the manager. In no time they had stripped him of his towel and were pouring him into his tuxedo. Once dressed, they practically carried the limp man to the waiting limo.

Lory had been all over the Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens looking for the perfect place for the backdrop to the wedding, and the light pink cherry trees that he had chosen were in full bloom. The sky was just overcast with no sign of rain, and it gave an almost ethereal quality to the area. It was the perfect setting for the public wedding of Japan's top actor. They had tried to keep the location on the wedding a secret, but it was hard to hide the preparations in such a public place, so there were many onlookers, but not knowing it was the actor's wedding, they kept their distance out of respect for the couple to be.

When the girls arrived via limo, everything was ready for them. Somehow Lory and Kuu had managed to get the grooms into a presentable state by pressing them with sports drinks, B12, and in Yashiro's case a plastic bag filled with crushed ice. Julie, Jelly, and the bridesmaids got out and went to the gathering to make the final preparations for the arrival of the brides. Kyoko and Catherine sat in the limo and watched the growing crowd.

"I did not think there would be so many people here." Kyoko remarked as she looked at the chairs slowly filling up.

"I suspect that most of those people are either other actors that know you and Ren or paparazzi and reporters covering the wedding." Catherine answered as she looked at the number of cameras in the audience. "Lory probably expected the wedding to be mobbed and supplied seating so it would not get out of hand."

"But, he said that he was not going to announce where we were holding the wedding." Kyoko tried to work it out.

"True, but a good reporter can smell something like this from miles away." Catherine laughed. "Like sharks can smell a drop of blood in the water." Kyoko laughed as she imagined all of the camera carrying people as sharks. The two girls joked and laughed for a few minutes longer until everything was settled and Kuu and Lory came to escort the brides to the part.

"Are you ladies ready?" Kuu asked when he opened to the door. Kyoko and Catherine nodded as they made sure nothing has slipped during the car ride over. Lory held out his hand for Catherine to take and pulled her first from the limo. She was blinded by the flash of cameras as she was handed her bouquet and took Lory's arm. The flashed were even more dazzling as Kyoko stepped from the car and took the arm of her adopted father for the walk down the aisle. Ren and Yashiro looked at their beautiful brides in amazement. Just seeing the girls walking towards them did more for their hangovers then any amount of B12 and aspirin could. It only took a few minutes before the brides stood at the alter next to their grooms with their matching bouquets of white roses and cherry blossoms. Catherine looked up into Yashiro's slightly blood shot eyes and smiled at him.

"Did you have a good time at your party?" She asked softly. Yashiro blushed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck, but did not answer. The preacher had started into the standard wedding ceremony. Near the end of the ceremony, Catherine flinched slightly then pulled the hand she was hold down and laid it on her stomach. Yashiro's eyes widened as he felt the baby kicking for the first time. He was no longer paying attention to the man speaking in front of him and Kyoko nudged him in the back when he missed the most important question. Yashiro turned back to the man as he asked Yashiro for the second time if he took Catherine to be his wife. Catherine giggled at the stammered "I do" and gave the same answer when asked of her.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. Gentlemen, you may now kiss your brides." The preacher announced and the two couples turned to each other. Ren wrapped Kyoko up in his arms tightly for a long kiss, but Yashiro took a little more care with his delicate bundle as he held Catherine gently for their kiss. The wind picked that moment to gust through the trees and loose hundreds of petals to rain softly down on the couples. Lory wiped a tear from his eye; he could have not asked more a more perfect beginning to the rest of their lives.

**Author's note**: I did not think anyone would notice that chapter 3 was missing this far into the story.. you caught my Autumn Amber... I lumped chapter 2 and 3 together after I posted them becasue they were so much shorter then the rest of the sections. I was trying to make the begining less tedious to read. As soon as I can' I will go back and renumber the chapters... Thanks.


	89. Chapter 90

Per request from mangaEATER-chan, here is one last little tidbit for you. I would like to thank everyone that had stuck with me till the end. Thank you all for your kind words. I appreciate everyones support and comments while I wrote this story. Here is a bit of cute as final words.

**Note: I do not own Skip Beat!.**

Epilogue:

Ren and Kyoko tapped lightly on the door before entering into the hospital room. Their eyes fell on the chair where Yashiro rested next to the bed containing Catherine. In his arms was a small bundle of blankets. Yashiro looked up at the new arrivals and smiled. He pulled the blankets back to reveal the small boy that was contained inside. Kyoko giggled as she walked over and relieved Yashiro of the tiny burden. Ren smiled at his wife as she cooed to the baby cradled in her arms. He loved the way she looked with the new baby and pondered over the idea of a child of their own. The subject had come up a few times since Catherine had come back, but now that the baby was here, he was sure that Kyoko would want one of her own. He turned his mind to the haggard looking father watching them.

"How are you and Catherine doing?" Ren asked the happy father.

"Tired." Yashiro admitted. "The birth took a lot longer than we had hoped for, but there were no problems." Yashiro looked over to the woman sleeping in the bed. "We'll be here for another day before heading back to the new apartment."

"I am so glad that you found one so close to us." Kyoko said as she rocked the baby.

"It does make life easier." Yashiro grinned. "He'll be closer to his godparents, that is, if you are still interested in the role?" Kyoko scoffed at him and held the baby closer.

"Of course." She returned. Ren smiled at his love, it had been one of the many things that they had talked about dealing with the new baby.

"You'll make good parents." Ren remarked.

"So will you." Yashiro shot back as they watched Kyoko walked around the room rocking the little bundle of blankets. Ren smiled at his happy wife cradling the infant.

"I think you are right."


	90. Shameless plug

Hello Everyone. Thank you all for your support! I decided to write more, but not in the world of fanfiction.

So here is the shameless plug for those that enjoyed my stories.

I have two new stories over on fictionpress. I hope you enjoy them.

u/849317/Anwedragon

so the link doesn't work right... just search for Anwedragon or check out the link in my profile... that one does work


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